IBM said Friday it opened a research center in India dedicated to the development of business analytics tools.

IBM's Business Analytics Center of Competency, headquartered in the tech hub of Bangalore, will employ more than 200 consultants skilled in applying business analytics and data mining techniques to customers' most complex information challenges and opportunities, IBM said.

"The new Business Analytics Center of Competency is an important component in our rapidly expanding and unmatched portfolio of business analytics capabilities," said Fred Balboni, global leader for IBM's Business Analytics and Optimization group, in a statement.

Business analytics combines database mining with statistical analysis and other techniques to help companies detect important patterns and trends from information such as sales, inventory levels, loss frequency, and returns. 83% of CIOs surveyed in a recent IBM study said business analytics was their top priority in terms of enhancing their organizations' competitiveness.

IBM acquired Canadian software developer Cognos last year for $4.9 billion with an eye to boosting its footprint in the business intelligence and analytics market.

The Bangalore center will concentrate on developing business analytics solutions, some of them patented by IBM, for companies in both developed and emerging markets and across numerous industries, including telecommunications, retail, and financial services.

Areas of focus include customer, financial, fraud, and enterprise business analytics.

"Through our extensive experience we've built the broadest and most sophisticated analytics services and solutions in the industry and are deploying them to address our clients' most profound needs," said Balboni.

The Bangalore facility will join a network of IBM Business Analytics Centers. IBM operates, or plans to operate, such centers in Berlin, Beijing, New York, Tokyo, London, and Washington, DC.

IBM shares were up .55%, to $123.23, in mid-afternoon trading Friday.

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