Global survey puts SA business at top end of positivity scale

AROUND THREE quarters
of South African businesses
are optimistic about
business in the coming year.
Privately-owned
businesses in the country
were the ninth most
positive in the 34-strong
list of countries surveyed
by Grant Thornton for the
2008 International Business
Report (IBR).
This is one place
behind China and ahead
of Denmark, Brazil and the
Netherlands.
While business
confidence in South Africa
slipped by one point,
the average for the rest
of the world was down
three points, with 42% of
businesses feeling optimistic
about the economic outlook
for the next 12 months.
Most of the top ten
other countries on the list
are developing economies,
Indian and Philippine
businesses being the most
up-beat, with 95% of
businesses optimistic about
the year ahead.