BUSINESS BRIEFING / COMPUTERS

The global personal computer market is pulling out of its slump quickly and could defy predictions by growing this year, the chief executive of Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel Corp. said.

Paul Otellini’s comments at a conference were more bullish than many analysts’ have been. Market research firms IDC and Gartner Inc. have predicted a year-over-year drop in PC shipments in 2009, which would be the first such drop since 2001.

Otellini said he expected PC sales to be “flat to slightly up” this year from last.