Apr 27
2011

HIGH transport, food and housing costs kept inflation at 5 per cent last month, compared to March last year.

Last months figure was in line with most economists expectations.

It also appeared to vindicate the decision by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) this month to allow the currency to appreciate, a move that will make imports cheaper.

For the whole of the first quarter, the consumer price index increased 5.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, said the Department of Statistics yesterday.

Prices in March rose just 0.1 per cent compared with the previous month.

Housing costs were up 0.6 per cent from February to March, thanks to higher accommodation costs.

joannel@sph.com.sg

Read the full story in Tuesdays edition of The Straits Times

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Apr 27
2011

Hewlett Packard is reaching out to enterprise CIOs this week with the following message: Weve got a services portfolio that will not only help you keep your job, but also put you in line for hefty raises down the road.

On Monday, the Palo Alto, Calif.-computing giant launched HP Strategic IT Advisory Services, a set of offerings that includes guidance and planning for cloud computing, enterprise architecture and service management. In addition to helping CIOs wield IT as a competitive advantage, HP says its services can reduce IT costs, boost ROI and respond more quickly to changing business needs.

This is important because enterprise CIOs compensation is increasingly being pegged to their ability to generate growth and revenue from IT investments. HP cited research from Gartner that shows by the year 2016, this will also one of the primary selection criteria for new CIOs.

When CIOs are measured against enterprise objectives, they look for partners to help them craft and implement their technology strategy, Arthur Filip, vice president and general manager of HP Technology Consulting, said in a statement.

HP didnt use the term trusted advisor in announcing HP Strategic IT Advisory Services, but thats the role HP is looking to play for enterprise CIOs. Although HP channel partners are capable of delivering these services, for the time being HP is delivering them in-house through its Technology Consulting division.

Cloud computing is a huge area of focus for HP at the moment, and the new portfolio includes services that help businesses gauge their readiness for the cloud and also get up to speed on the ins and outs of services delivery. For companies that are considering MA activity, HP also offers planning and IT integration services.

HP in January launched a private cloud infrastructure-as-a-service thats delivered from its data centers. HPs Cloud Enablement Program gives partners financial incentives to build their own cloud service delivery platforms using HPs Converged Infrastructure portfolio.

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