Dell is to spend $10bn (£4.9bn) on buying back company shares, the first stock re-purchase for more than a year.

Buy-back plans were suspended in August 2006 due to accounting problems culminating in a US Federal probe into its quarterly results.

The decision to halt the repurchase programme hit Dell's share value and the company hopes the new scheme will improve prices.

"Dell is committed to a long-term share repurchase program as part of an overall capital allocation plan that supports growth and also returns value to shareholders,” said chief executive Michael Dell.