Worldwide PC shipments grew by 15.2 per cent in the third quarter, according to market research firm Dataquest, while competitor IDC reported that shipments grew by 18.3 per cent.

Averaging the two, shipment growth came in between 16 per cent and 17 per cent, according to a report from Merrill Lynch analyst, Mr Steve Fortuna. As in the second quarter, demand from overseas markets, particularly Asia, paced the market. In the US shipments grew slower than the worldwide figure.

"We think these results are good, in line with our expectations, and think we are set up for a good fourth quarter," Mr Fortuna wrote. "It appears that Asia-Pacific and Japan drove much of the strength in the third quarter. Europe does not appear to be particularly strong and we expect the US was stronger than Europe."

The consumer market also continued to grow in importance. In the United States and Japan, the consumer market was larger than the corporate market again, noted Mr Roger Kay, an IDC analyst. In the rest of the world, the consumer market was smaller but grew at a faster rate than the corporate market.

The shipment figures provide fodder for both PC pessimists and optimists. On the positive side, the PC market is still growing.

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