B.C. Business Shows Optimism Heading into New Year
Prince George, B.C.- When it comes to small business optimism, B.C.'s small businesses have the highest level in the country.
The latest report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) shows B.C.'s small business owners posted a small gain in optimism in December. That continues the upward trend the CFIB has been tracking in B.C. all year.
The B.C. business barometer was 72.6 in December, the highest in the country. The CFIB is also noting positive hiring plans with 21% of business owners planning to add staff, while only 6% say they plan to reduce their staffing levels.
"BC began the year at the back of the pack, in sixth place overall," says CFIB BC director of provincial affairs Mike Klassen. "After steadily climbing back all year, BC has the highest small business confidence in the country. This bodes well for the province's economic recovery in 2014."
After a period of relative smoothness through the summer and fall, small business optimism dropped off substantially in December for many parts of the country outside BC. CFIB's Business Barometer® Index fell more than three and half points to land at 62.3, its lowest level since June.
Measured on a scale between 0 and 100, an index level above 50 means owners expecting their business’ performance to be stronger in the next year outnumber those expecting weaker performance. An index level of between 65 and 70 means the economy is growing at its potential.
Comments
Glad there is business confidence, if not we would be heading back into recession….one small question, how many will be hiring at minimum wage and how many will be hiring TFW? Just wondering
Tree Farm Workers? …. likely a few … ;-)
Or maybe Turkish Farm Workers?
“BC began the year at the back of the pack, in sixth place overall,” says CFIB BC director of provincial affairs Mike Klassen. “After steadily climbing back all year, BC has the highest small business confidence in the country.”
That is all very in interesting. That would be a leading indicator.
Can someone please compare that to the lagging indicator – how much did business actually increase bot gross and net?
Always the negative on this site
A true measure of a strengthening economy is increased “consumer” confidence NOT business confidence⦠where is that at?
‘Consumer confidence’ is the thought that you might be able squeeze one more payment out of a pay cheque that’s already 169% committed to making the ones you’ve already got.
With three levels of government hassling you and your bank ready to call your loan at the drop of the hat, how could one not be positive? Mental illness or good meds? Pick one. Negative on this site? Never, my good man. Just objective analysis.
I am not quite sure what is negative about trying to use the best indicator or, better still, more than one indicator. There is absolutely nothing negative about having diligence!!
So, stonekicker, you can’t answer the questions asked, can you? Figures!!
Comments for this article are closed.