RMB/BER INDEX: Business confidence rises in first quarter of 2022 but remains in negative territory

  • 📰 dailymaverick
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 46 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 22%
  • Publisher: 84%

United States News News

United States United States Latest News,United States United States Headlines

The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) rose three points in the first quarter of 2022, but at 46 remains in negative terrain below the neutral 50 mark. And with the return of serious load shedding and fuel prices surging because of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the outlook is anything but bright.

“Although this is just below the neutral 50 mark reached in the second half of last year, the latest reading is nonetheless encouraging in that it equals the BCI’s long-term average which, at 46, is a far cry from the five-index-point low recorded at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020,” RMB said.The index that is at its long-term average goes back to the late 1970s.

Under the current Ramaphosa administration, business confidence has continued to take a battering from policy inertia and a failing state which battles to keep the lights on and can hardly provide basic public services. There has also been the Covid-19 pandemic, often draconian lockdowns and a gut-wrenching economic contraction of 6.4% in 2020, not to mention the terrifying riots of July last year and record unemployment.

Three sectors in Q1 2022 showed a rise in confidence levels, with new vehicle dealers leading the race, with sentiment among them rising to 54 from 41. This is in line with “Also showing an improvement in the first quarter was manufacturing. Its BCI jumped from 38 to 43, owing to continued strong domestic sales and exports. Production would have increased even more were it not for ongoing supply chain bottlenecks and shortages of key inputs constraining activity,” RMB said.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 3. in US
 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

If you want to take your knowledge to the next level in Crypto and know about next gem coins to make your own profits then follow LindaStouffes

United States United States Latest News, United States United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Business confidence lifts, but Russia casts a cloudRMB/BER index improved to 46 in the first quarter from 43 in the previous three months, driven by vehicles, wholesaling and manufacturing
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »

SA’s business confidence rises — for nowImprovement in the RMB/BER index reflects the situation before the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »

SA business mood recovers, faces Ukraine war risks | Fin24South African business confidence climbed in the first quarter as the negative impact of the pandemic, power cuts and a three-week strike in the steel and engineering industry began to wane.
Source: Fin24 - 🏆 21. / 63 Read more »

Tackle 2022 with some winning advice for your small businessSPONSORED | Steps to success shared from the 2021 Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »

How to get a world-class smartphone app for your businessIf you want to launch a world-class smartphone app for your business in 2022, then Codehesion is the perfect choice.
Source: mybroadband - 🏆 11. / 67 Read more »