+0.7 on previous index reading
At 97.9 in June 2018, the Business Pulse was up 0.7 on last month and 7.2 higher than this time last year. The picture was somewhat mixed, with the Retail and Construction Pulses up on the month but the Industry and Services Pulses down. Firms in all four sectors were more positive about business activity over the past while, but against the backdrop of increased political and policy uncertainty on the global stage, there was a general scaling back of expectations for the coming 3 months (and of hiring intentions in the case of industry and services). The Business Pulse has put in a good performance in the first half of the year though and is now at a two year high.
