XN000022-1981-08-23 — Page 2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 1981

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BETT BUSINESS EXPECTED AHEAD

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BUSINESS IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR IMPROVED MODERATELY OVER THE FIRST QUARTER, AND IS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE FURTHER IN THE THIRD QUARTER, ACCORDING TO INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE REPORT ON THE LATEST QUARTERLY BUSINESS SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT IN JULY.

THE INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM A SURVEY OF 820 FIR IS FROM VARIOUS INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES, FORMING A CROSS SECTION OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, WHO WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS EXPERIENCE IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, AND THE IR BUSINESS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER.

+THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH EXPECTATIONS RECORDED IN THE FIRST QUARTER SURVEY.

+ON THE WHOLE, AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF BUSINESS PROSPECTS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER IS SHARED BY RESPONDENTS ACROSS ALL ECONOMIC SECTORS. THE DEGREE OF OPTIMISM IS STRONGER THAN THAT HELD IN THE SAME QUARTER LAST YEAR, THE REPORT STATES.

THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR IN GENERAL EXPERIENCED IMPROVEMENTS IN BUSINESS IN THE SECOND QUARTER OVER THE FIRST QUARTER.

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE IN THE SECOND QUARTER AS REPORTED BY RESPONDENTS IN THE 'FOOD, BEVERAGE, TOBACCO' 'PLASTICS'

ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPLIANCES AND SUPPLIES' AND 'ELECTRONICS* INDUSTRIES WAS FAVOURABLE, LARGELY IN LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS HELD IN THE FIRST QUARTER SURVEY. CONTRARY TO EARLIER EXPECTATIONS, RESPONDENTS IN THE 'WATCHES AND CLOCKS' AND 'FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS' INDUSTRIES REPORTED A DECLINE IN BUSINESS IN THE SECOND QUARTER OVER THE FIRST QUARTER.

FIRMS IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES EXPRESSED A FAIR DEGREE OF OPTIMISM ABOUT BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR THE THIRD QUARTER WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE WATCHES AND CLOCKS' AND 'FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS' AND 'TEXTILES INDUSTRIES FOR WHICH THE BALANCE OF RESPONDENTS' OPINIONS INDICATES THAT A DETERIORATION IN BUSINESS IS EXPECTED.

NOTABLY, FIRMS IN THE 'PLASTICS', 'ELECTRONICS' AND *MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES ARE MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT BUSINESS PROSPECTS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER THAN THEY WERE DURING THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

AS FOR THE SERVICES SECTORS, AN UPTURN IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER IS FORESEEN BY PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS AFTER EXPERIENCING A DECLINE IN BUSINESS IN THE SECOND QUARTER DUE MAINLY TO SEASONAL FACTORS.

THE HOTEL BUSINESS RECORDED AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE SECOND QUARTER AND EXPECTS A SEASONAL TROUGH IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

WHOLESALE AND