IBM predicted strong fourth-quarter growth.

However, President and Chief Executive John F. Akers didn’t give any projections of profits for the quarter in a speech to financial analysts in Greenock, Scotland. Earlier this year, IBM executives said they expected full-year profits to exceed those of 1984, and the company has not backed off from that prediction even though fourth-quarter profits would have to jump 25% to achieve the goal after three quarters of declines. Akers seemed to be reaffirming that position. The company also denied reports that it was planning to cut temporarily the output of personal computers at its plant in Greenock, from which it supplies Europe, because of an anticipated seasonal downturn in sales in early 1986.