Tracking the tech downturn

As the broader economy continues to stall, the tech industry is taking its hits. We follow the downturn and its impact on the sector, from the long-time industry leaders to the scrappy start-ups.

Latest coverage | Previous coverage

Latest coverage

---

Previous coverage

---

For Black Friday, shades of gray

Retailers looking for the annual surge in sales face rough going this year, as the economy crumbles and consumers play hard to get.
(Posted in Business Tech by Erica Ogg)
November 24, 2008

The big chill for holiday parties?

In the tech industry, holiday parties aren't getting canceled left and right in the face of cost-cutting, but things are certainly being done differently this year.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)
November 21, 2008

Economy takes bite out of CES

Responding to the down economy, Cisco, Yahoo, Seagate, and others are forgoing booth exhibits at the Consumer Electronics Show.
(Posted in Crave by Stephen Shankland)
November 20, 2008

Phishing, e-mail money laundering scams on the rise

Security experts say they're detecting a marked increase in online scams amid the economic downturn.
(Posted in Security by Elinor Mills)
November 20, 2008

Broadband proponents to Congress: Invest in future, not autos

Investment in broadband deployment is more likely to help our economy than investments in the auto industry, panelists at a symposium said Wednesday.
(Posted in Politics and Law by Stephanie Condon)
November 19, 2008

Apple's holiday not looking great, could be worse

Preliminary estimates of Apple's performance amid one of the worst economic periods in years indicate no one has a magic bullet for recession, but some fare better than others.
(Posted in Apple by Tom Krazit)
• Which PC maker will fare best in a bad economy?
• HP sees fourth-quarter sales boost
November 17, 2008

Which PC maker will fare best in a bad economy?

Hewlett-Packard's broad price range and product lineup could keep the tech giant rolling while others suffer.
(Posted in Business Tech by Erica Ogg)
November 14, 2008

Tech may not shed so many jobs this time

Whatever job cuts occur in the technology sector in the coming months, they're unlikely to be as deep or as lasting as the cuts that occurred in the dot-com bust.
(Posted in Business Tech by Dawn Kawamoto)
October 21, 2008

Forrester: Holiday e-commerce growth to slow

But on the bright side for online retailers, more people say high gas prices and better online deals may cause them to do their holiday shopping on the Web.
(Posted in Crave by Caroline McCarthy)
• Can gadget bargains be had before the holidays?
October 22, 2008

Report: As stock market drops malware rises

PandaLabs statistics show how cybercriminals are taking aim at confused consumers in a time of economic uncertainty.
(Posted in Security by Elinor Mills)
October 22, 2008

Gold sales shine in dark economic times

Internet retailers selling precious metals say that economic uncertainty, the stock market crash, and inflation fears have led to a resurgence of interest in all kinds of precious metals--and a shortage of gold and silver coins.
(Posted in Politics and Law by Declan McCullagh)
October 20, 2008

How Wall Street's mess will hurt high tech

Consolidation and financial uncertainty at the nation's largest securities firms will close some doors to tech companies aiming to go public, slow the process for M&A deals, and add more worry lines to tech investing.
(Posted in Business Tech by Stefanie Olsen)
September 15, 2008

Number of IT venture deals falls to 10-year low

Venture capitalists pull back sharply, shrinking U.S.-based tech deals to a level not been seen in more than a decade, according to Dow Jones VentureSource.
(Posted in Business Tech by Dawn Kawamoto)
October 20, 2008

Optimism springs eternal at Web start-ups, VCs

Whistling past the graveyard? Maybe not. There's more happening in start-up land than just a shedding of personnel.
(Posted in Webware by Rafe Needleman)
October 20, 2008

Venture investing tops $7 billion in third quarter

But will financial market woes clog up the spigot? For the moment, at least, the software and clean-tech sectors have done all right for themselves.
(Posted in Business Tech by Jonathan Skillings)
October 18, 2008

Analyst cuts growth projections for Net, e-commerce companies

A Wall Street analyst says investors should brace themselves for companies lowering their forecasts for future quarters.
(Posted in Digital Media by Dawn Kawamoto)
October 3, 2008

The tech downturn: How long and how bad?

We interviewed more than 20 executives, venture capitalists, and bankers to see what they think. While there's little consensus, one thing's for sure: they're plenty worried.
(Posted in Business Tech by Jim Kerstetter)
October 9, 2008

Dark times for Web ads: Analysts cut forecasts

Online-advertising budgets are likely to be flat or decreasing, and companies such as Google and InterActiveCorp that on it can expect to feel the pain, financial analysts say.
(Posted in Digital Media by Stephen Shankland)
October 15, 2008

In downturn, solar industry sees bright days ahead

Because the numbers on solar energy investments are looking better and comparatively safer, the business predicts rapid growth despite the economic crisis.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)
October 17, 2008 4:00 AM PDT

Dark times for Web ads: Analysts cut forecasts

Online-advertising budgets are likely to be flat or decreasing, and companies such as Google and InterActiveCorp that on it can expect to feel the pain, financial analysts say.
(Posted in Digital Media by Stephen Shankland)
October 15, 2008 7:29 AM PDT

Dow soars with Apple, Microsoft among double-digit gainers

Investors cheered Monday as the beleaguered index gets back up above the 9,000 mark by surging 936 points in its largest single-day point gain ever.
• Gartner and UBS provide a mixed view on IT spending
• Gartner on IT vs. the economic crisis
(Posted in Business Tech by Dawn Kawamoto)
October 13, 2008 1:26 PM PDT

Entrepreneurs are worried, but some are not worried enough

Overconfidence remains strong among start-up CEOs, a quick survey shows. A little more fear might help more young companies survive the tanking economy.
(Posted in Webware by Rafe Needleman)
October 13, 2008 10:00 AM PDT

Taking stock of stock losses, 1999-2008

If you bought shares in most tech companies in October 1999 and sold them today, you would have lost money. And then there's inflation.
(Posted in Business Tech by Declan McCullagh)
October 13, 2008 4:00 AM PDT

A very long week of losses

---

What with one stock sell-off followed by another, the tech sector's biggest names have all taken their lumps. Ditto for the start-up crowd.

Tech's next step: More M&A?

The last time Silicon Valley got hit by this kind of a financial storm, it remade itself and emerged stronger. Will Darwin apply this time around as well?
(Posted in Coop's Corner by Charles Cooper)
October 10, 2008 12:33 PM PDT

No economy too dire for these developers

Far from Wall Street, attendees of London's Future of Web Apps confab aren't panicking. Is it entrepreneur's pluck or old-fashioned naivete?
• AOL to developers: Put passion over profit
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)
October 10, 2008 12:00 PM PDT

11 troubled Web companies: The next Kozmos?

Some popular Web companies may be vulnerable to the economic slowdown. Do they face an ill fate similar to that of the beloved delivery service of the last bubble?
(Posted in Webware by Rafe Needleman)
October 10, 2008 7:30 AM PDT

Microsoft exec: Challenging times play to our strengths

Microsoft Business Division President Stephen Elop says the software giant is trying to get the message out that it can help its customers save money in tough times.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)
October 10, 2008 11:47 AM PDT

Chip gear industry's funk is a red flag

The downturn in the business of building chip equipment means that chipmakers are pulling back.
(Posted in Business Tech by Brooke Crothers)
• Chip forecasts head south October 10, 2008 7:07 AM PDT

VCs throw cold water on portfolio companies

From Sequoia Capital to angel investor Ron Conway, the message is clear and persistent: prepare for the worst.
(Posted in Digital Media by Dawn Kawamoto)
October 10, 2008 7:07 AM PDT

The tech downturn: How long and how bad?

We interviewed more than 20 executives, venture capitalists, and bankers to see what they think. While there's little consensus, one thing's for sure: they're plenty worried.
• Angel investor Ron Conway to portfolio: Cut expenses now
• Wall Street gives Net titans price cut, sector caution
(Posted in Business Tech by Jim Kerstetter)
October 9, 2008 4:00 AM PDT

Making sense of the tech meltdown on Wall Street

Why did typically stable SAP lead the way into the cellar? The normal rules of the high-tech industry's economics may not apply as the overall economy seems to unravel.
• Podcast: Catching our breath, post-tech selloff
(Posted in Business Tech by Jim Kerstetter)
October 6, 2008 4:00 PM PDT

Bailout or not, the tumble begins

---

The House of Representatives stuns economy watchers by failing to pass a bailout bill. Days later, a revised bailout bill passes the Senate, but the markets remain spooked and frantic.

Troubled times ahead for tech?

Politicians are turning cartwheels to connect the meltdown on Wall Street to Main Street. But the companies along Hwy. 101 are just as vulnerable to a crummy economy.
(Posted in Business Tech by Jim Kerstetter)
October 2, 2008 4:35 PM PDT

The makings of another tech mess?

A shaky overall economy inevitably spells trouble for the tech industry. Here's a breakdown of how it could play out.
(Posted in Business Tech by Jim Kerstetter)
October 2, 2008 4:34 PM PDT

Employment outlook gets murkier at tech companies

Amid a "hiring chill" in Redmond, CNET News checked in with other big tech giants on their personnel plans.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)
• Microsoft denies companywide hiring freeze
• Daily Debrief video: A chill in the air for tech workers
October 3, 2008 2:34 PM PDT

Bailout bill loops in green tech, IRS snooping

Originally a three-page $700 billion bill, House-approved bailout package now includes surveillance provisions and tax credits for green tech, SunKist tuna, and wooden arrows.
• New phishing attempt targets bank customers
(Posted in Politics and Law by Declan McCullagh)
October 3, 2008 10:07 AM PDT

Tech entrepreneurs changing strategies, not products

Money is getting tight, but that doesn't mean start-ups should give up, say investors at the Startonomics conference in San Francisco.
(Posted in Webware by Rafe Needleman)
October 2, 2008 12:35 PM PDT

Tech M&A spending takes big hit in third quarter

Tech mergers and acquisitions fell by a third compared to a year ago. Decline fueled by credit tightening and havoc on Wall Street, says a new report by The 451 Group.
• Yahoo to cut its workforce?
(Posted in Business Tech by Dawn Kawamoto)
October 2, 2008 8:32 AM PDT

Senate passes bailout bill

The Senate passes a revised bill that adds tax cuts and other add-ons, in addition to the $700 billion financial rescue.
(Posted in Business Tech by Ina Fried)
October 1, 2008 7:20 PM PDT

Why the credit crunch is about more than Wall Street

A lack of credit affects businesses from tech giants to mom-and-pop stores to all manner of consumers.
(Posted in Business Tech by Ina Fried)
September 29, 2008 2:49 PM PDT

Tech stocks hammered as bailout fails in House

Stocks, including those of technology companies, took a beating after the House of Representatives fails to pass the government bailout of the financial sector.
• Apple shares drop 17.5 percent
(Posted in Business Tech by Ina Fried)
September 29, 2008 11:29 AM PDT

Web leaders on economy: Keep calm and carry on

At the Web 2.0 Expo in New York, just a stone's throw from the turmoil on Wall Street, it was hard not to notice the financial-industry meltdown.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)
September 19, 2008 12:00 PM PDT

More

See our running list of who is laying off

See our running list of who is hiring

Read our "Faces of the recession" series

Videos

Google feeling the pinch?
ZDNet's Sumi Das and Sam Diaz talk about Google's financial future and what one analyst's outlook might mean for the company's employees and competitors.

Who needs profits living in Web 2.0?
Remember that saying that start-ups should think about profits? Apparently, that's just a quaint idea to some of the leading lights in the Web 2.0 ecosystem.

Venture capitalists: We're still open for business
At a VentureBeat conference on managing through the economic downturn, a panel of venture capitalists painted a gloomy picture for the economy overall. But they say they're still making investments.

Didn't they say tech start-ups were toast?
Many early-stage tech start-ups continue to receive funding. And many techn companies say they are hiring. How to explain the apparent contradiction?

How will the recession affect Web 2.0?
In this ZDNet video, Charlene Li says Web 2.0 companies will need to buckle down and focus on new innovations, collaboration, and getting things done.

Web 2.0 casualties in the making?
A fan of Twitter, Pandora, or Skype? Rafe Needleman lists 11 popular start-ups that had better find creative business plans to weather the financial downturn.

Talking with Newt Gingrich on tech, bailout
Newt Gingrich stopped by CNET's offices in San Francisco to talk about technology, politics, and Silicon Valley.

Tech stocks plummet with the rest
Kara Tsuboi and Ina Fried discuss which stocks have been hit hardest and why the financial crisis has hit both enterprise and consumer-oriented companies.

A chill in the air for tech workers
Kara Tsuboi and Ina Fried discuss who's freezing hiring, firing, or just trying to stay afloat.

CNET Tech Index

Keep a close watch on the intraday and long-term performance of the tech sector, from Adobe and Apple to Xerox and Yahoo, with the CNET Tech Index.