Latest news with #BusinessConfidenceIndex
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Business outlook: Business confidence index jumps to 149.4 in April-June; NCAER survey flags optimism in sales
India's business sentiment saw a sharp uptick in the April-June quarter, with the Business Confidence Index (BCI) rising to 149.4 from 139.3 in the previous quarter, according to the latest Business Expectations Survey by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). The index is built on four key components: expectations of overall economic improvement over the next six months, anticipated improvement in firms' financial positions, views on the present investment climate, and whether capacity utilisation is close to or above optimal levels, PTI reported. NCAER noted that more than 60% of respondents expressed positive views across all four parameters. 'The share of positive responses remained above 60% for each component, and every component exhibited an improving trend compared to the previous quarter,' the think tank said. Optimism around production and domestic demand was particularly strong. Around 78.7% of firms said they expect production to rise in the next six months, while 79.1% anticipated an increase in domestic sales. Export sentiment also strengthened, with 66.5% of respondents expecting a rise in outbound shipments of finished goods. Firms were also more positive about their import requirements, with 54.3% expecting an increase in raw material imports, up from 46.1% in the previous quarter—a sign of expected acceleration in domestic manufacturing activity. Nearly 61% of companies surveyed expected pre-tax profits to rise over the next six months, indicating continued buoyancy in business operations. However, this optimism was not reflected in the labour market outlook. Hiring and wage expectations remained unchanged, suggesting a stagnation in employment sentiment. 'With moderation in costs, firms were more optimistic about the next six months,' said NCAER Professor Bornali Bhandari, who led the survey. The survey, conducted in June, covered 479 companies across six major Indian cities. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays .
Economic Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
India's business confidence index rises to 149.4 in April-June: NCAER
Synopsis The Business Confidence Index (BCI) surged to 149.4 in April-June 2024-25, up from 139.3 in the previous quarter, driven by positive expectations across key economic indicators. A majority of firms anticipate increased production, domestic sales, and exports, signaling strong business optimism. However, this positive sentiment hasn't translated into improvements in the labor market, with hiring and wage expectations remaining stagnant. AI generated image for representation purposes. The Business Confidence Index (BCI) rose sharply to 149.4 in the April-June period from 139.3 in the last quarter of 2024-25, according to the Business Expectations Survey of National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). NCAER in a statement said the BCI is based on four components -- overall economic conditions to improve in next six months, financial position of firms will improve in the next six months, present investment climate and whether present capacity utilisation was close to or above optimal level. The share of positive responses across the four components remains above 60 per cent in the first quarter and also each component exhibited improving trend compared to the preceding quarter, the statement added. Majority of respondents expected production (78.7 per cent) and domestic sales (79.1 per cent) to increase in the next six months. The statement said sentiments about export of final products also improved (66.5 per cent) in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Percentage of firms expecting import of raw materials to rise also increased (54.3 per cent) from the preceding quarter (46.1 per cent), signalling a push in domestic production activities, it added. Regarding sentiments about pre-tax profits, nearly 61 per cent of firms expected them to rise, indicating continued buoyancy. However, the statement said buoyancy in business sentiments was not reflected in the labour markets that showed signs of stagnation with both sentiments about hiring and expectations of wage rates remaining unchanged over the next six months. NCAER's Professor Bornali Bhandari, who led the survey, said, "With moderation in costs, firms were more optimistic about the next six months." The quarterly survey was carried out in June, covering 479 companies spread across six cities, the statement added.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India's business confidence index rises to 149.4 in April-June: NCAER
The Business Confidence Index (BCI) rose sharply to 149.4 in the April-June period from 139.3 in the last quarter of 2024-25, according to the Business Expectations Survey of National Council of Applied Economic Research ( NCAER ). NCAER in a statement said the BCI is based on four components -- overall economic conditions to improve in next six months, financial position of firms will improve in the next six months, present investment climate and whether present capacity utilisation was close to or above optimal level. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program The share of positive responses across the four components remains above 60 per cent in the first quarter and also each component exhibited improving trend compared to the preceding quarter, the statement added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Majority of respondents expected production (78.7 per cent) and domestic sales (79.1 per cent) to increase in the next six months. The statement said sentiments about export of final products also improved (66.5 per cent) in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Live Events Percentage of firms expecting import of raw materials to rise also increased (54.3 per cent) from the preceding quarter (46.1 per cent), signalling a push in domestic production activities, it added. Regarding sentiments about pre-tax profits, nearly 61 per cent of firms expected them to rise, indicating continued buoyancy. However, the statement said buoyancy in business sentiments was not reflected in the labour markets that showed signs of stagnation with both sentiments about hiring and expectations of wage rates remaining unchanged over the next six months. NCAER's Professor Bornali Bhandari, who led the survey, said, "With moderation in costs, firms were more optimistic about the next six months." The quarterly survey was carried out in June, covering 479 companies spread across six cities, the statement added.
News18
7 days ago
- Business
- News18
Business confidence index rises to 149.4 in April-June: NCAER
New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI) The Business Confidence Index (BCI) rose sharply to 149.4 in the April-June period from 139.3 in the last quarter of 2024-25, according to the Business Expectations Survey of National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). NCAER in a statement said the BCI is based on four components — overall economic conditions to improve in next six months, financial position of firms will improve in the next six months, present investment climate and whether present capacity utilisation was close to or above optimal level. The share of positive responses across the four components remains above 60 per cent in the first quarter and also each component exhibited improving trend compared to the preceding quarter, the statement added. Majority of respondents expected production (78.7 per cent) and domestic sales (79.1 per cent) to increase in the next six months. The statement said sentiments about export of final products also improved (66.5 per cent) in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Percentage of firms expecting import of raw materials to rise also increased (54.3 per cent) from the preceding quarter (46.1 per cent), signalling a push in domestic production activities, it added. Regarding sentiments about pre-tax profits, nearly 61 per cent of firms expected them to rise, indicating continued buoyancy. However, the statement said buoyancy in business sentiments was not reflected in the labour markets that showed signs of stagnation with both sentiments about hiring and expectations of wage rates remaining unchanged over the next six months. NCAER's Professor Bornali Bhandari, who led the survey, said, 'With moderation in costs, firms were more optimistic about the next six months." The quarterly survey was carried out in June, covering 479 companies spread across six cities, the statement added. PTI BKS TRB TRB view comments First Published: August 05, 2025, 17:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
IOL News
25-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Worrying drop in Durban business confidence index
Concerns over business confidence in Durban Image: Independent Newspapers The findings of the latest Durban Business Confidence Index (BCI) are raising concerns about future economic growth in the city, with the report indicating that businesses are increasingly pessimistic. The Business Confidence Index assesses business confidence in the city, and the latest findings highlight significant concerns regarding the overall business climate. The report is compiled by the Macroeconomics Research Unit at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The report presents the Durban BCI for the second quarter of 2025 (2025Q2). The index ranges from 0 to 100, where a score below 50 implies a lack of confidence in the Durban economy, a score of 50 indicates that the business situation is normal or neutral, and a score above 50 denotes confidence in the economy. 'The Durban BCI continued to decline for a third consecutive quarter in 2025Q2, dropping to 52.40 points from 56.32 points in the previous quarter. This suggests that businesses are becoming less optimistic about both current and future economic conditions in Durban,' the report stated. However, the report noted that, while the Durban BCI declined, it remains above the neutral zone and significantly outperforms the national BCI. The national index fell from 45 points in the first quarter of 2025 to 40 points in the current quarter. Therefore, it appears that the ongoing decline in the Durban BCI is likely driven by the national economic situation rather than factors specific to Durban, the report said. Looking at the performance of individual industries, the report noted that following a strong improvement in 2025Q1, driven by favourable weather conditions, among other factors, business confidence in the agricultural sector decreased by 51% in the second quarter. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ This decline is primarily attributed to global uncertainties and animal diseases that affect production and market stability in the animal husbandry sub-sector. However, confidence in the agricultural sector was 1% higher in 2025Q2 than in the corresponding quarter in 2024. Manufacturing experienced a sharp decline in business confidence during the second quarter of 2025, with confidence in this sector dropping from 61.71 to 41.82 between the first and second quarters. Ongoing global trade uncertainty, weak domestic and global demand, high operating costs, infrastructure constraints, and logistical inefficiencies continue to be the main causes of this deterioration. The financial intermediation, insurance, real estate, and business services sector experienced a 2% contraction, declining from 54.85 in the first quarter of 2025 to 53.52 in the second quarter. This indicates that confidence in this sector was 0.96% lower compared to the same quarter in 2024. Business confidence in the electricity, gas, and water sector was also significantly low in the second quarter of 2025. The wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and personal and household goods, as well as catering and accommodation, recorded a 13% improvement in business confidence in the second quarter of 2025, rising from 43.79 in the previous quarter to 49.63 in the quarter under review. This improvement, the report said, is largely due to reductions in the cost of living, with inflation falling below the target range, coupled with the recent interest rate cut. However, this is countered by the increasing tax burden and the recent rise in the prices of petroleum products. The transport, storage, and communication sector recorded a 6% improvement in confidence, which was attributed to improved land cargo and air transport operations. The report also found that poor service delivery continues to be a concern for businesspeople in Durban. The Survey of Business Opinion, used to compute the Durban BCI for 2025Q2, reveals that 71.4% of respondents reported that if one complained about poor service delivery, it is unlikely that the local municipality would address it within a reasonable timeframe. Respondents identified environmental management (sewerage, solid waste, and parks) (28.6%) as the poorest service, followed by roads (26.8%), water (23.2%), public safety (police, fire, and ambulance) (12.5%), and electricity (8.9%). Palesa Phili, CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC, stated, 'As organised business, we believe the findings provide a true reflection of the mood of the business community in Durban. However, the sustained downward trend of the DBCI is a cause for concern. 'Despite improvements in four industries, agriculture remains a key driver of economic growth, while manufacturing plays a pivotal role in job creation. In the context of global restrictions, we must position Durban as a leading manufacturing hub and leverage our unique economic architecture—such as the Special Economic Zone and port. 'This would significantly impact employment and GDP while enhancing self-reliance. Moreover, economic reforms must be implemented to support key economic sectors in Durban. 'Furthermore, the Quarter 2 report also revealed that 71.4% of respondents stated that, when lodging a complaint regarding poor service, it was unlikely to be resolved in a timely manner. The situation remains deeply troubling. As the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC, we believe that unless structural issues—such as infrastructure, security, and basic service delivery—are urgently addressed, business confidence will continue to deteriorate. The City must prioritise addressing these issues to boost and sustain business confidence and work towards bridging the trust deficit between the private and public sectors.' Professor and economist Bonke Dumisa said, 'We are not surprised by the declining Business Confidence Index. There are too many avoidable wrongs happening in eThekwini. The issue of sewage spilling into rivers and onto the beach is totally unacceptable and could have been avoided.' THE MERCURY
