Business Confidence jumps again in April – up 7.4pts to 123.1

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Apr-16

A Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey has found that Australian business confidence rose by 7.4 points (or 6.4 per cent) to 123.1 in April 2016. Business confidence has now risen 12.5 points over the last three months, since a 2016 low of 110.6 in January. The rise in Business Confidence comes after more improvement on the Australian sharemarket in April, and as commodity prices rebounded in recent months following increased global stimulus. The level of business confidence in April is clearly positive for the economy overall and is now above the five-year average of 116.8. The strongest indicators in April relate to the upcoming year, with expectations of business performance over the next 12 months (+38.1) and whether the next 12 months will be a "good/bad time to invest" (+26.3).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

Business Confidence rises again in March – up 2.4pts to 115.7

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 31-Mar-16

A Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey has found that Australian business confidence rose by 2.4 points to 115.7 in March 2016, and it has now risen 5.1 points over the last two months. The rise in business confidence comes after steady improvement on the Australian sharemarket in March, after the All Ordinaries Index dropped in both January and February to start the year amid global economic concerns. The level of business confidence in March is clearly positive for the economy overall and just below the five-year average of 116.6. The weakest indicators are the performance of the business compared to a year ago (+7) and expectations of economic conditions in Australia over the next 12 months (+11).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX

PM urges business to seize China opportunity

Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 3-Mar-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Australian companies should seek to capitalise on the opportunities created by China’s transition to a consumer-focused economy. Turnbull has identified industries such as tourism and service as ones that can benefit from Australia’s growing trade relations with China, particularly as China’s demand for industrial commodities declines.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA CHINA BUSINESS COUNCIL, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Roy Morgan Business Confidence continues to drift lower in January

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Jan-16

A Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey has found that Australian business confidence fell by 3.9 points to 110.6 in January 2016, following a decline of 4.2 points in December and 0.6 points in November. The combined drop of 8.7 points (down 7.3 per cent) over the last three months is an indication that the initial increase in confidence following Malcolm Turnbull becoming Prime Minister has been outweighed by the negative local and international economic environment, which saw the ASX decline by 8.6 per cent in the first three weeks of January. Despite the negative trend in business confidence over the last three months, it is still 7.8 per cent above the level prior to the appointment of Turnbull. Business confidence is now below the five-year average of 116.8 and is a sign that confidence is very fragile and easily impacted by negative economic events.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Retailers hit with 10pc hike in insurance cover

Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 28-Jan-16

Figures from commercial insurance comparison website BizCover show that small-to-medium businesses continue to benefit from strong competition in Australia’s insurance market. The retail sector is an exception. An insurance policy for a retail business may cost around $A1,700. A non-retail company would pay $A1,000 for a comparable cover. BizCover’s Small Business Insurance Index rose by five points in the fourth quarter of 2015.

CORPORATES
BIZCOVER PTY LTD, ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AIG AUSTRALIA, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE

Australian Roy Morgan Business Confidence declines further in December

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Jan-16

A Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey has found that Australian business confidence fell by 4.2 points to 114.5 in December 2015, following an 0.6 per cent decline in November. The combined drop of 4.8 points (or four per cent) over the last two months is a likely indication that the initial burst of confidence following Malcolm Turnbull becoming Prime Minister is beginning to "cool off", although business confidence remains 11.6 per cent above the level prior to his appointment. The drop in business confidence in December was mainly due to deterioration in the outlook for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, which has fallen to its lowest level since August. Despite this poor outlook for Australia over the coming year, businesses still maintain a positive attitude, with 60 per cent agreeing that the next 12 months will be a good time to invest in growing their business, well up on the 51 per cent seen in August.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Australian Roy Morgan Business Confidence still positive in November but showing signs of "cooling off"

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Dec-15

A Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey has found that Australian business confidence fell by 0.6 points to 118.7 in November 2015, but remained above the five-year average of 116.9. This decline in confidence was probably to be expected, given the big increase in the two months following Malcolm Turnbull becoming Prime Minister, which saw business confidence increase by 16.3 per cent. The small drop in business confidence in November was a result of only marginal declines in both the five-year economic outlook and the view that the next 12 months would be a good time to invest in growing the business. However, both of these measures remain at positive levels and are above the five-year average.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Gary Morgan – Business confidence surveys and selective reporting by the Australian media

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Nov-15

It is impossible to stop "organisations" conducting "questionable" polls – sometimes ill-conceived and too often completely self-serving or even mischievous polls. However, it is a disgrace when Australia’s national news services "selectively report" only such polls. Australia’s media has a critical role to play in keeping the Australian people informed. Australia’s major media is concentrated and controlled by too few – probably soon to be fewer! This makes the ethics of journalists and media owners even more important. Good governance dictates journalists must be briefed to report all facts honestly – not report "selectively" to support their own opinion.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Business owners, Professionals and Managers swing decisively to new Turnbull Government; Business Confidence up under Malcolm Turnbull

Original article by Michele Levine, Gary Morgan, Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Nov-15

Business owners, Professionals and Managers have swung decisively behind the Malcolm Turnbull Government, with the L-NP vote now 61.5% (up 12.5 per cent from pre-Turnbull), compared with 38.5 per cent for the ALP (down 12.5 per cent). Confidence for this group of Business owners, Professionals and Managers has increased to 118.6 (up 5.2pts from pre-Turnbull), according to a special analysis of business people using data from Roy Morgan Single Source. In addition, the Roy Morgan survey of businesses shows that real Business Confidence has increased from 102.6 in August 2015 to 119.3 in October – a strong increase following Turnbull’s ascension to the Prime Ministership. The website of "The Australian" has selectively reported the NAB Business Confidence poll, which claims that Business Confidence is down since Malcolm Turnbull took over leadership – this is far from the truth and only serves to destabilise the new Turnbull leadership or cast doubt on the Coalition tax reform discussions. For years the business community has been calling for tax reform and a complete review of the Australian taxation system. It is unbelievable and inconceivable to think business has now lost confidence because Turnbull and Treasurer Scott Morrison are reviewing tax and "everything including GST is on the table". The NAB Business Confidence survey (sample and methodology undisclosed) reporting a drop in Business Confidence is either a "rogue poll", based on wrong questions or perhaps represents a very unrepresentative sample of the business community.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Australian Roy Morgan Business Confidence strengthens further in October to highest level for 2015

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Nov-15

A Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey has found that Australian business confidence rose by 5.8 per cent to 119.3 in October 2015, to the highest level since November 2014. This improvement in confidence was generally expected initially as a result of Malcolm Turnbull becoming Prime Minister, but it has strengthened further in October to be 16.3 per cent higher than prior to the leadership change in August. Roy Morgan Business Confidence is now above the five-year average of 116.9 and higher than 12 months ago (114.9). The increase in business confidence in October was a result of improvements across all components of the index. The strongest gains were in how businesses feel about the economy over the next 12 months and five years, and the encouragement this would give them to invest in their business, which is now at the highest level for the year.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ