Global businesses remain cautious, consistent with a global economy that is expanding at the low end of its potential. There has been no significant change in sentiment for the past three months. The most upbeat responses are with regard to businesses’ assessment of current economic conditions and the strength of sales. They are less enthusiastic when responding to specific questions regarding hiring and office space demand, and equipment investment has been notably soft during the past several months. Pricing pressures have also abated, with an unusually small percentage of businesses saying they are raising their prices. A recent tightening in credit conditions is worth monitoring, as this may reflect some fallout from the European debt crisis.
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Survey Of Business Confidence, Percentage |
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| Jan 27 | Jan 20 | Jan 13 | Jan 6 | ||
| Business Confidence | 21.2 | 19.8 | 18.4 | 19.3 | |
| View complete data table | |||||