Australian Business Expectations Survey
Name of Collection
Australian Business Expectations Survey
Contact
Assistant Director
Data Management and Dissemination
Economy Wide Statistics Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics
PO Box 10
BELCONNEN ACT 2616
Telephone: Canberra 02 6252 5288
Facsimile: Canberra 1800 999 310
Internet: www.abs.gov.au
Purpose
To provide information about expected business conditions and confidence in Australia.
Description
This survey provides estimates of future economic activity based on the expectations of senior executives, managers and proprietors of businesses operating in Australia. It provides both a qualitative indicator of business confidence (a weighted net balance) and a quantitative measure of expected change (a weighted aggregate) for a range of business performance indicators. The survey is conducted by mail questionnaire each quarter. It is based on a stratified random sample of approximately 3,000 employing businesses of all sizes, in all industries except General Government and Agriculture.
Data Detail
Expected weighted aggregate percentage change and weighted net balance indicators are provided with respect to the next quarter (compared with the current quarter), and the same quarter of the following year (compared with the current quarter).
The following indicators are provided:
Operating income;
Selling prices;
Profits;
Capital expenditure;
Inventories;
Employment;
Wage costs and non-wage labour costs; and
Other operating costs.
Data are available for the above items for the transport, storage and communication industry.
Geographic Coverage
Australia, States and Territories.
Frequency of Data Availability
Data are released quarterly.
Historical Data
Data were first published in December 1993 (for short-term expectations), and September 1994 (for medium-term expectations).
Products and Services
Publications
Australian Business Expectations (cat. no. 5250.0)
Other
Special data services are available on request.
Example of Information Available