SURVEY OF BUSINESS CONDITIONS
JUNE 2000 COMPARED WITH JUNE 1999
::::::::::::::: Manufacturers' Division:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ref. 00/01-22 ,File A.10.3.1
:::::::::::::::::: 26-Jul-00::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Last::: Prev::: Prev::: Prev::: Prev
::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Mth::: Mth::: Mth::: Mth::: Mth
TOTAL TURNOVER:::::: Export::: 17%::: Domestic::: 83%:::::: May::: April::: Mar::: Feb::: Jan
:::::: Increased::: 11%::::::::::::::: 12%::: -13%::: +21%::: +8%::: +10%
DOMESTIC TURNOVER:::::: Domestic turnover increased by::::::::::::::: 9%::: 2%::: -13%::: +19%::: +7%::: +6%
EXPORT TURNOVER:::::: Export turnover increased by::::::::::::::: 20%::: 27%::: -13%::: +23%::: +9%::: 17%
EMPLOYMENT
STAFF NUMBERS:::::: Staff numbers decreased by::::::::::::::: -3%::: -1%::: 1%::: 0.01::: -1%::: -1%
% of respondents staffing requirements for next month:::::::::::::::::: Increase::: 8%::: 7%::: 8%::: 14%::: 22%::: 11%
:::::::::::::::::: No Change::: 79%::: 78%::: 75%::: 86%::: 78%::: 81%
:::::::::::::::::: Decrease::: 13%::: 15%::: 17%::: 0%::: 0%::: 7%
% of respondents having difficulties recuiting staff:::::::::::::::::: Skilled::: 38%::: 31%::: 44%::: 60%::: 56%::: 45%
:::::::::::::::::: Unskilled::: 25%::: 19%::: 31%::: 20%::: 25%::: 27%
:::::::::::::::::: Man/Prof::: 38%::: 50%::: 25%::: 20%::: 19%::: 27%
CASH FLOW
% of respondents who reported an improvement:::::::::::::::::: Improve::: 29%::: 27%::: 20%::: 27%::: 22%::: 33%
% of respondents who reported no change:::::::::::::::::: Same::: 42%::: 58%::: 48%::: 68%::: 37%::: 48%
% of respondents who reported a worse position:::::::::::::::::: Worse::: 29%::: 15%::: 32%::: 5%::: 41%::: 19%
INVESTMENT
% of respondents who would invest in equipment:::::::::::::::::: Equipment Yes::: 63%::: 46%::: 88%::: 68%::: 63%::: 63%
% of respondents who said they would not invest in equipment:::::::::::::::::: Equipment No::: 38%::: 54%::: 12%:::
32%::: 37%::: 37%
% of respondents who would invest in building work:::::::::::::::::: Building Yes::: 25%::: 19%::: 20%::: 18%::: 19%:::
19%
% of respondents who said they would not invest in building work:::::::::::::::::: Building No::: 75%::: 81%::: 80%:::
82%::: 81%::: 81%
% of respondents who would invest in training:::::::::::::::::: Training Yes::: 71%::: 67%::: 80%::: 86%::: 74%::: 74%
% of respondents who said they would not invest in training:::::::::::::::::: Training No::: 29%::: 33%::: 20%::: 14%:::
26%::: 26%
BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
% of respondents you are confident turnover will improve:::::::::::::::::: Improve::: 29%::: 15%::: 28%::: 14%::: 22%:::
48%
% of respondents you see turnover remaing the same:::::::::::::::::: Same::: 42%::: 48%::: 56%::: 71%::: 63%::: 52%
% of respondents you see turnover worse:::::::::::::::::: Worse::: 29%::: 37%::: 16%::: 14%::: 15%::: 0%
% of respondents you are confident profitability will improve:::::::::::::::::: Improve::: 21%::: 11%::: 16%::: 15%:::
26%::: 48%
% of respondents you see profitability remaing the same:::::::::::::::::: Same::: 50%::: 52%::: 60%::: 70%::: 56%::: 44%
% of respondents you see profitability worse:::::::::::::::::: Worse::: 29%::: 37%::: 24%::: 15%::: 19%::: 7%
CAPACITY
% of respondents who are at full capacity:::::::::::::::::: Full::: 37%::: 38%::: 41%::: 53%::: 43%::: 46%
% of respondents who are below capacity:::::::::::::::::: Below::: 63%::: 63%::: 59%::: 47%::: 57%::: 54%
Average Utilisation::::::::::::::::::::::::65%::: 67%::: 74%::: 74%::: 76%::: 75%
PRICES/COSTS
% of respondents who are expected to increase prices:::::::::::::::::: Increase::: 42%::: 37%::: 48%::: 30%::: 31%:::
19%
% of respondents who expect prices to remain the same:::::::::::::::::: Same::: 58%::: 63%::: 52%::: 70%::: 65%::: 78%
% of respondents who expect to decrease prices:::::::::::::::::: Decrease::: 0%::: 0%::: 0%::: 0%::: 4%::: 4%
% of respondents who are rising prices because of :::::::::::::::: Wage Settlements:::::: 12%::: 12%::: 11%::: 14%:::
10%::: 11%
::::::::::::::: R.M.Costs:::::: 59%::: 52%::: 56%::: 71%::: 53%::: 63%
::::::::::::::: Finance Costs:::::: 15%::: 18%::: 14%::: 5%::: 10%::: 11%
::::::::::::::: ACC:::::: 9%::: 12%::: 8%::: 10%::: 13%::: 5%
::::::::::::::: Other:::::: 6%::: 6%::: 11%::: 0%::: 13%::: 11%
EXTERNAL FACTORS
% of respondents who were concerned with the following:::::::::::::::: Interest Rates:::::: 16%::: 15%::: 14%::: 13%:::
14%::: 11%
::::::::::::::: Business Rates:::::: 2%::: 4%::: 2%::: 0%::: 2%::: 0%
::::::::::::::: Competition:::::: 11%::: 10%::: 14%::: 16%::: 18%::: 20%
::::::::::::::: Industrial Relations:::::: 28%::: 25%::: 19%::: 24%::: 14%::: 9%
::::::::::::::: Exchange Rates:::::: 23%::: 26%::: 28%::: 29%::: 30%::: 31%
::::::::::::::: Inflation:::::: 9%::: 7%::: 9%::: 8%::: 2%::: 7%
::::::::::::::: Taxation:::::: 4%::: 6%::: 5%::: 5%::: 9%::: 4%
::::::::::::::: Cash Availability:::::: 9%::: 6%::: 9%::: 5%::: 9%::: 16%
::::::::::::::: Other:::::: 0%::: 1%::: 0%::: 0%::: 2%::: 2%