Shares at HP sink as sales slump

Hewlett-Packard shares experienced their worst fall in five months after the firm’s fiscal second-quarter profit forecast fell short of analysts’ estimates as consumers curtailed personal-computer purchases.

The shares in the US company declined 6.3% to $27.13 (€20.30) in New York on Wednesday, the biggest intraday decrease since Sept 22.

&Profit before some items in the three months through April will be 88c to 91c a share, the company said yesterday.