Nokia Anticipates 20% First-Quarter Sales Growth

Compiled ByJohn S. McClenahen Even among tough economic times so far this year, Nokia Corp.'s share of the global mobile-phone market is now above the 32% estimated for the year 2000, claims the Espoo, Finland-based telecommunications company. However, when first-quarter 2001 numbers are compiled in a few weeks, they'll probably show total sales growth of about 20%, less than the 25% to 30% that Nokia had previously projected. "Due to the slower growth and more difficult market conditions during the first months of the year, we now estimate that the full-year mobile-phone market size will be between 450 [million] and 500 million units," Nokia states.