ICASA`s ADSL rulings rile

The ICT market was extremely quiet from both an international and local perspective, with no significant acquisitions. Locally, the outcome of ICASA`s rulings on ADSL pricing caused a stir.

* Satisfactory year-end numbers from CompuClearing with revenue up 3.2% although income up about 31%.
* Mediocre year-end figures from Business Connexion with revenue up 14% but income down nearly 50%.
* Positive trading updates from Control Instruments Group and MTN.
* A negative trading update from Idion.
* Digicore disposed of 30% of its branch distribution business to BEE parties.
* The issuing of several USAL licences, most with conditions attached.
* The likelihood that Google is to establish a South African office, following the placement of several job advertisements.
* The de-suspension of Integrear`s shares.

* Ghana Telecom to be re-privatised.
* Uganda opened up its telecommunications sector, ending the duopoly of MTN Uganda and Uganda Telecom.

Financial services worldwide spending will increase nearly 4% to $472.6 billion in 2006, says Gartner.

Paul Booth, MD, Global Research Partners

* The appointments of Rob Johnson as interim president and CEO of APC, Joseph Kozak as CEO of ANTs Software, and Michael Mitchell as president and CEO of Cognitronics.
* The retirement of Rodger Dowdell as president and CEO of APC.
* A positive result announcement from HP.
* Negative result warnings from Harvey Electronics and i2 Technologies.
* Job loss announcements from CA and CSC.
* Planned IPOs from Double-Take Software, a replication software provider for Microsoft server environments; and GenuTec Business Solutions, voicemail generator.
* A good IPO on Nasdaq by InnerWorkings, a printing software and services company.

* Siemens AG disposed of its enterprise networks and SBS services businesses.
* The buy-out by an Indian-led consortium of Vertex, a BPO vendor.
* The possible sale of Ntl to a private equity consortium. Ntl acquired Virgin Mobile earlier this year.

* Worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment billings reached $9.59 billion in Q206, marginally higher than Q106 but about 27% up on Q205, according to SEMI.
* Financial services worldwide spending will increase nearly 4% to $472.6 billion in 2006, says Gartner.

* JSE All share index: Up 2.8%
* Nasdaq: Up 5.2%
* Top SA share movements: Datatec (+9.1%), Integrear (-54%), Labat Africa (+8.3%), Simeka BSG (+10.2%), Square One (+9.5%) and Stella Vista (-9.1%)
* Top international share movements: Bookham (+27.6%), Conexant Systems (+31.3%), Epicus Communications (+50%), Merisel (-37.4%), Rackable Systems (+31.6%), salesforce.com (+26.3%), Silverline Technologies (-49.6%), SiRF (+26.8%) and SONICblue (-33.3%)

CBR has published its 50 IT Giants listing for this year. The significant changes were the new entries of Infosys Technologies, Juniper Networks and Research in Motion; and the disappearance of LSI Logic, StorageTek (acquired by Sun Microsystems) and Veritas Software (acquired by Symantec).