The Small Firms Association (SFA) Q4 business survey shows that business confidence levels are the strongest since the economic downturn. SFA acting director, Avine McNally said, “The survey indicates that the economy has stabilised, the challenge is now when the economy will commence to grow in a meaningful way.
However, the business performance is encouraging and companies are looking to the future with an increasing sense of optimism.”
The survey results demonstrated that 35% of respondent companies rate the overall business environment to be either ‘very good’ or ‘good’, which is an 11% increase on Q2 2013.
48% rate their own business as “very good” or “good” (6% increase on Q2 2013). 29% of respondents were more confident about their business than in Q3 2013 and the outlook over the first three months of 2014 is also positive with one in four small firms expecting their business to be ‘very good’ or ‘good’.
Domestic market sales are also expected to increase for 26% of small firms while 39% of those companies who export expect to see increase in sales. McNally said that policies need to be put in place by government to assist the sector to drive growth in the wider economy.
© 2013 - Checkout Magazine by Genna Patterson
