The April 2025 Macro Views Survey Findings were recently released. According to respondents, enterprise IT spending is decelerating fast. Year-over-year growth projections for calendar year 2025 now sit at +3.4%, down from +5.3% in January—a steep that marks the largest quarterly drop since ETR began tracking in 2020.
While this may signal rising caution, it’s important to note that most responses were gathered prior to the U.S.’s April 2nd reciprocal tariff announcements.
Respondents:
The survey captured responses from a robust sample of over 1,800 technology leaders, including:
In terms of industry, more than half of respondents came from Services/Consulting, IT/TelCo, and Financials/Insurance, collectively account for 54% of respondents.
Downward Revisions Across the Board
Respondents reported revised-down IT spending expectations compared to the January survey:
Regionally, APAC saw the steepest decline, while Latin America remains the most resilient.
Balancing Growth and Cost-Cutting
Although there was a reduction in total growth, 69% of respondents still expect to increase IT spending by at least 1% this year.
Additionally, optimizing SaaS licensing is gaining momentum, reaching its highest citation rate in a year—while cutting hardware or CapEx spend fell notably in priority.
Strategic Tightening, Not Full Retreat
The April 2025 Macro Views Survey findings point to a more strategically cautious IT environment. Organizations aren’t slamming the brakes on innovation, but they are being more selective, cost-conscious, and risk-aware in the face of economic uncertainty, geopolitical developments, and regulatory scrutiny.
Understanding how peers are adjusting their plans provides valuable context for navigating the road ahead. If you are looking for more Macro Views Survey data, a downloadable summary is now available.