IBM is to cut almost 1 600 jobs, mainly from its US-based strategic outsourcing business, bringing the total for this year so far to more than 3 000. 

During an earlier round of layoffs in April, a spokesman said the company was looking to "rebalance" it resources.
IBM employs about 128 000 people in its US services business, with most of these in strategic outsourcing.
The company rubbished earlier claims made by ComputerWorld columnist Robert X Cringely that it was planning to eliminate services jobs in the US, but re-invent them in the less expensive markets of India and China.