Software giant Microsoft has posted a big rise in quarterly profits
amid signs of a rebound in technology spending by corporate customers.
Revenues
hit 16 billion US dollars (£10.5 billion) in the second quarter, an
increase of 22%, as profits jumped 48% to 4.5 billion dollars (£3
billion)
The results, which were stronger than Wall Street had
expected, were helped by strong sales of Office 2010 as revenues from
the company's business software segment rose 15% to 5.3 billion US
dollars (£3.5 billion).
Microsoft added that more than 175 million Windows 7 licences had been sold since its launch last year.
It
said there were signs that its corporate customers were starting to
spend again after billings for its multi-year agreements with big
companies increased in the quarter.
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