96 and three static prediction states 98 102 as indicated each of prediction states 90 102 corresponds to one of the seven possible settings of each entry 80 within bht 68 referring first to static prediction state 100 if a branch instruction to be predicted maps to an entry 80 of bht 68 that is set to 34 000 34 static branch prediction is utilized to predict whether or not the branch should be taken if the branch is resolved as taken entry 80 within bht 68 is updated to 34 001 34 as illustrated at static prediction state 102 it is important to note that state machine 88 proceeds from static prediction state 100 to static prediction state 102 in response to resolution of the branch as taken regardless of whether or not the branch was correctly predicted when the conditional branch instruction is next predicted static branch prediction is again utilized as specified by static prediction state 102 if the branch is again resolved as taken entry 80 within bht 68 is updated to 34 010 34 to indicate that dynamic branch prediction is to be utilized for a next prediction as illustrated by dynamic prediction state 90 thereafter state machine 88 remains at dynamic prediction state 90 as long as subsequent branch predictions are resolved as taken however in response to the resolution of a.