Business Confidence Sinks Further in Western Europe

Survey shows Europe's business owners and managers are feeling particular negative about cashflow and profit margins

The latest findings of the MSI Global Feelgood Index business confidence survey paint a sorry picture of Western Europe in general.

The overall balance of confidence in the region fell from -0.04 to -0.06, with Professor Joe Nellis of Cranfield School of Management commenting on the survey results that the Eurozone region is "..plagued by a sovereign debt crisis and a banking sector that continues to deleverage.” 

As shown in the infographic below, confidence in cashflow took the biggest nosedive going from from -0.01 to -0.2. Confidence in profit margins (-0.17 to -0.27) and spending on marketing and advertising was also noticeably down.

The uncertainty over Greece and various economies on the brink of double dip recessions is adding to the gloom hanging over Western Europe, but Nellis feels the situation should start to ease gradually from mid-2012 onwards.

To use the infographic below on your own website (it will update dynamicallly every quarter), just click Share and copy the embed code. It can then be added to your web page or blog. Here is a short video showing you how to do this.

A short video is also available that provides the views of MSI's European members on the prospects for their economies in the next three months.

Infographic: Levels of Business Confidence in Western Europe (May 2012)

 

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