Scattered sunshine, chance of showers

The news from the government IT market remains positive for the integrator community. Industry officials told Staff Writer William Welsh that the demand for health services is so consistently stable, this sector is virtually immune to recession. And now, with the emergence of bioterrorism defense and HIPAA compliance as new government needs, health services is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the state and local market.At the same time, officials from the leading telecom companies told Staff Writer Patience Wait the federal market has become one of the few bright spots in a sector overflowing with bad news. As one official said: "The federal space is the new gold rush."Those stories are on the front page and on page 24, respectively. But lest we be accused of reporting only positive economic news, read Bill Loomis' "Market Watch" outlook on page 29.