Previous Results

The results from previous surveys:

Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce

Overall business took a slight dip.
A net 56% of respondents expect the New Zealand economy to improve.
A net 63% of businesses are confident that their own business situation will improve over the next six months.

A net 61% of respondents expect the national economy to improve over the next six months.
The survey shows relatively high employment and investment intentions which is encouraging.
The mood amongst exporters is promising with a net 58% expecting their earnings to improve over the next 12 months up slightly from the net 48% recorded last quarter.

Optimism has continued to improve with a net 76% of respondents expecting the national economy to improve over the next six months.
A net 66% expect their business situations to improve over the next six months compared to a net 55% three months ago.
There was an overall increase in the proportion of businesses finding staff easier to find than they were three months ago.

Optimism amongst Wellington businesses that the economic environment is improving.
55% of respondents expect their business situation to improve.
Wellington exporters are expecting an improvement in earnings.

Wellington businesses have shown a significant improvement in confidence over the last three months.
The mood is still pessimistic, with a net 19% of businesses expecting the national economy to deteriorate over the next six months.
But this is a significant improvement from the net 52% recorded in our survey three months ago.

The January 2008 survey records a significant fall in business confidence but it is significant that it was taken during the period of sharp falls on world sharemarkets.
A net 49% were negative (ie more thought it would deteriorate than improve). This is a drop from a negative 13 percent last time the survey was taken three months ago.
Workforce issues and staff shortages remained the largest concern for respondents this quarter.
When asked about their own business situation, respondents weren't so negative with a net 14% expecting things to get better.

In the midst of financial turmoil, the latest Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce survey has recorded a sharp drop in business confidence. For the first time since our survey begun there are more businesses expecting their situation to worsen over the next six months than to improve. A net 4% of businesses expect a deterioration compared with a net 20% of businesses expecting an improvement last time.
There are more businesses expecting a reduction in their employee numbers than an increase for the first time in at least two years (since we started asking the question in the survey.) Notwithstanding this, there are still a large number of businesses citing skill shortages and difficulty recruiting staff as areas of concern.
15% of Wellington businesses experienced increased difficulty getting credit in the last month.

Business confidence in the Wellington region has picked up although remains subdued relative to the last four years.
More Wellington businesses are expecting an improvement in their own situation than they are a deterioration by a net 20% and this has increased from a net 12% last time
Staff retention and skills shortages remain the most commonly cited issues concerning businesses though consumer confidence, sales growth and accounts receivable were commonly cited, all reflecting the current downturn.

Business has fallen but is holding up relatively well as the economy slows.
A net 52% of respondents expect a deterioration in economic conditions in the next six months (67% expect it to get worse and 15% better) slightly down from the net 49% recorded three months ago.
74% of respondents expecting to make a major investment in the next 12 months.
Confidence among exporters, while still low relative to recent years, has held up with a net 44% of exporters expecting earnings to improve in the next 12 months.

Business confidence fell sharply in response to successive rises in interest rates.
Investment intentions accordingly are lower
Confidence amongst exporters has fallen