Tag: dun & bradstreet

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ characterisation of the Australian economy is based on a survey of 300 private businesses. It still gives a positive spin, saying businesses feel “that now might be the time to finally throw off uncertainty and take the plunge to drive opportunity and growth.”

Two separate surveys suggest Australian business confidence is at a 30-month low and the outlook for capital investment is at an 18-month low. So why are Australian businesses gearing up to hire ever more employees? It’s a head-scratcher, for sure.

The retail sector's sales expectations index is 12 points above the national average. This result comes off the back of a June quarter that was stronger than expected. Basically, if the rest of the country is smiling, the retailers are smiling 12 inches wider!

Two-thirds of Australian businesses are taking longer than the usual 30 day period to pay their bills, says the latest Dun & Bradstreet Trade Payment Analysis report. On average, Australian businesses are taking 53.4 days to make their payments.

A new report by analysts Dun & Bradstreet has found a 23% increase in business failure in 2010. The relative strength of the Australian economy was no match for rising costs and delayed payments, with many businesses folding despite Australia's success weathering the global financial crisis, in comparison to other nations.

Australian firms took, on average, 51.2 days to settle accounts in Q4 – well above the standard 30 day payment term. Some industries were found to be tardier than others. The electric, gas and sanitary services sector took 60.8 days to settle its accounts in Q4 - more than twice the standard 30 days. The services sector was best in group, settling accounts in just 50.7 days. State by state, Western Australia was the quickest, on average, while the ACT was the slowest.

Dun & Bradstreet's survey of business expectations says Australia's economy is leaning heavily on business-to-business trade and to commerce with the emerging Asian markets to shore up the domestic market, which still is waiting for consumers to start spending again.

If only confidence was a tangible commodity, like coal or iPhones or barramundi. Because Australian businesses appear to be investing heavily in it. Confidence about sales, profits and capital investment are heady and strong for the final quarter of 2010, according to Dun & Bradstreet's latest National Business Expectations Survey. This could indicate a sunny December for Australian business.

According to the latest trade payments analysis by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), the payment terms of Australian firms have risen for the third consecutive quarter.

According to the latest trade payments analysis by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), the payment terms of Australian firms have risen for the third consecutive quarter.

According to Dun & Bradstreet's (D&B) latest trade payments analysis, the payment terms of Australian firms have declined for the second consecutive quarter. A fall of three days since the previous quarter and 5.6 days in the past six months has reduced terms to 51.8 days – just above pre-crisis levels.

According to Dun & Bradstreet's (D&B) latest trade payments analysis, the payment terms of Australian firms have declined for the second consecutive quarter. A fall of three days since the previous quarter and 5.6 days in the past six months has reduced terms to 51.8 days – just above pre-crisis levels.

Australian businesses are cautiously optimistic that overall business conditions will improve through the rest of 2009 according to the latest D&B National Business Expectations Survey released today.

It certainly isn't new news anymore that these are trying economic times, but that hasn't discouraged the large business analysis firms from gauging, on...