Gartner said a slow but steady improvement in the macroeconomic environment will support a return to modest growth. Worldwide IT spending will grow 4.6% in 2010 as a result, reaching $3.4 trillion.

"Last quarter, we did not expect to see IT spending levels recover to 2008 levels until 2011, however, now with the upward revision to the current dollar forecast, we are projecting that global IT spending this year will approach the level seen in 2008," Richard Gordon, Gartner research vice president, said in releasing the forecast.

"Our updated forecast for IT spending to reach $3.4 trillion in 2010 is actually a year earlier than we expected, leveling our previous forecast update, and reflecting a bounce back in underlying IT spending from the sharp drop in 2009."

The Gartner forecast echoes one made earlier this month by Forrester Research. In its outlook for 2010, Forrester declared that the recession is essentially over. It predicted IT spending would grow 6.6% in the U.S. in 2010 and 8.1% worldwide.

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