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The BER takes the percentage of respondents that rates prevailing conditions as satisfactory as indicator or proxy of business confidence.
Detailed data on consumer confidence is provided, disaggregated by income, LSM and population groups as well as per province.
The Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI™) compiled by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER).
The index can vary between zero (indicating an extreme lack of confidence) and 100 (indicating extreme confidence).
The FNB/BER Civil Confidence Index reflects the state of business conditions in the civil engineering industry.
After slipping to 35 in 2021Q3, the FNB/BER Building Confidence Index was marginally lower at 34 in 2021Q4. Importantly, the “core” building sector index (excluding the hardware retailers and building material manufacturing sector) rose to 27, from 20 in 2021Q3. Although still very low, this is the best level since 2019Q2.
Read MoreThe FNB/BER Building Confidence Index declined to 35 in 2021Q3, from 39 in 2021Q2. This means that, across the building sector pipeline, 65% of respondents are dissatisfied with prevailing business conditions. While the composite index remains higher than the average of the past few years, it is concerning that the index excluding the hardware retail and building material manufacturing sector – a measure of confidence in the “core” building sector – fell to 20, from 25 in 2021Q2.
Read MoreThe FNB/BER Civil Confidence Index rose steadily between 2020Q3 and 2021Q1. This quarter, however, the index fell to 13, from 21 in 2021Q1. While respondents were somewhat disappointed with the level of activity, the extent to which confidence declined was not entirely supported by the underlying indicators.
Read MoreThe FNB/BER Building Confidence Index slipped by two points to 27 in 2021Q1. Activity was also broadly lower which contributed to the slight decline in sentiment. However, of particular concern is the activity levels in the non-residential building sector.
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