For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – July 17, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the latest Industry Outlook. Today’s outlook from Zacks Equity Research analyst Abdul Saleh discusses the Software sector. Highlighted stocks include: SAP (SAP), Fiserv (FISV), Intuit (INTU), Digital River (DRIV) and VeriSign Automotive (VRSN).

Here is the latest on the Software sector:

While most software companies are implementing a series of internal cost-cutting measures, these are steps that companies typically take in an economic downturn -- a hiring freeze, no non-essential travel, and so on. Generally speaking, a downturn is when investment in IT is most critical because these investments can make operations more efficient. This idea is one reason why we think that the tech sector would weather a downturn better than other parts of the economy.

Software giant SAP (SAP) is apparently not halting

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Outlook Global markets appear to be shaking off the recent unprecedented withering of the financial system and are looking for an upturn. But is it sustainable or is it a short-term event? So far, a string of drastic actions by the Federal Reserve and both the Bush and Obama administrations has yet to turn around a bunker mentality. Banks fear lending money to each other and to their customers. Businesses are reluctant to hire and boost capital investments. Consumers have hunkered down. All the economy's problems are feeding off each other, creating a vicious cycle that Washington policymakers are finding difficult to break. Even if the turmoil gripping Wall Street were to let up and badly shaken confidence in the banking system were fully restored, a "broader economic recovery will not happen right away." Obviously, the technology industry is not immune to the current economic ...

Trading on NASDAQ as part of the Internet Software and Services industry, iBasis Inc. is a leading wholesale carrier of international long-distance telephone calls and a provider of retail prepaid calling services. Founded in 1996, iBasis also provides enhanced services for mobile operators. With corporate headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts, the company is one of the largest carriers of international voice traffic in the world today. This is due to their acquisition, last October, of KPN Global Carrier Services. KPN is now a majority stockholder of iBasis Inc.

With the acquisition of KPN, iBasis expanded their product portfolio to include guaranteed CLI and roaming capabilities and mobile data services. Over 1,000 fixed and mobile carriers worldwide use their scale and global network to further their international voice operations. The company’s client base includes KPN, KPN Mobile, E-Plus, BASE, Verizon, Vodafone, China Mobile, China Unicom, IDT, Qwest, Skype, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, and Yahoo.

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On a recent business TV panel, Jim Lowell noted, “Fidelity China Region fund would be my number one pick for a contrarian growth play.” Here’s the latest from Fidelity Investor.

“The Chinese market has sold off nearly 60% in the blink of an eye, but its long-term growth story is hard to deny.

“So, I take some measure of comfort in finding that our quantitative system concurs that Wilson Wong (he entered the dragon in June of last year) is a top pick.

“His fund is a great way to bet on red without having to place all of your chips on China. Hong Kong (31%) and Taiwan (27%) stand shouldere to shoulder with China (21%) in terms of the funds concentration.

“Speaking of concentration, this is Fidelity’s most concentrated int’l fund: 68 holdings. A pure play on China’s growth, the fund’s top 10 reveal Wong’s diversified growth strategy:

China Mobile (wireless telecom)

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