-0.7 on previous index reading
The Business Pulse stood at 77.7 in September 2022, down 0.7 on last month and 12.3 lower than a year ago. While the sectoral Pulse readings were a mixed bag – Industry and Retail firmed this month whereas Services and Construction softened – firms were generally more circumspect about near-term prospects for activity given the unsettled environment, with two thirds saying it is difficult to predict the future development of their business situation at present. September’s research also took a look at infrastructure priorities from a business perspective and finds that housing remains in pole position (42% of firms cited it as the key area for investment), followed by transport (23%), energy, water and waste (19%), and telecommunications (15%).
