Global PC shipments reach 90.4M units in Q3 2011, growing by just 2.6% Y-o-Y (from 88.1M in Q3 2010) according to IHS iSuppli-- lower than earlier forecasts from the analyst of 6.8% Y-o-Y growth.

"The attainment of any growth at all represents a victory for the market," iSuppli says as it tries to find the silver lining at a time of "weak consumer sales and a strong challenge from alternative platforms [tablets]."

Europe remains a struggling market as economic conditions in both Eurozone and Continue reading...

Canalys expects Apple to beat HP in global PC market share thanks to the iPad by H2 2012, after managing to take second place in Q3 2011.

The analyst estimates global Q3 2011 PC shipments total 415M with 15% Y-o-Y growth, predominantly due to growing tablet sales. One has to keep in mind Canalys adds tablet estimates to its PC market statistics, unlike other analyst such as Gartner and IDC whose pictures of the current PC market tends to be bleaker.

Canalys still echoes other analysts in pointing out the decline of the EMEA PC market-- forecasting the 2011 market (excluding pads) will contract by -6% Y-o-Y, with volumes peaking at 30M in Q4 2011. W. Europe continues dragging the region down as Euro Zone debt issues (and the resulting impact on the economy) affect both investor and consumer confidence levels.

Will the Apple iPad colossus receive a beating from the hungry low-cost competition this holiday season? Goldman Sachs analyst Bill Shope thinks so, writing "...we believe it is prudent to assume the iPad is facing some near-term demand challenges."

The reasoning comes via Hon Hai forecasts predicting "more limited upside to iPad units" by reducing Q4 2011 forecasts from 15.4M units to 11.6M due to "weak demand."

Pricing is the obvious reason for such "demand challenges", and Shope believes the Continue reading...

One can describe the Autumn EU economic growth forecast with a single word-- austere. The title "Growth at a Standstill" is bad enough, and the EC report says the going might get even worse.

In a few words-- EU GDP will stagnate into 2012, while 2012 EU growth is forecast at around 0.5% before reaching 1.5% by 2013. Inflation will return to below 2% and unemployment will remain at around 9.5%.

Recession risks are not negligible either.

The Eu forecasts annual 2012 GDP growth will reach 0.6% in Continue reading...