The 13th quarterly EuroCham Business Climate Index (BCI) survey released on November 7 shows that business confidence and outlook among European enterprises in Vietnam remain unchanged at 50 points.

Thirty-eight percent of survey respondents assessed the current situation as positive. Considerably better than one year ago, when the BCI was at its lowest level ever recorded at 45 points. The rate of respondents with a negative view of the current business situation fell to 24 percent from 28 percent last quarter.

The positive development in investment plans and expected commodity orders has translated into more recruitment plans. Another upbeat signal is the fact that firms believe inflation will ease its impact on their operations.

Reported investment plans are increasing with the number of respondents expecting to enhance investments in Vietnam growing from 34 percent last quarter to 41 percent this quarter. Furthermore, the number of respondents planning to ‘significantly increase investments’ has doubled from last quarter’s eight percent to 16 percent this quarter.

In line with this development, the expected number of business orders has continued to grow – to 67 percent from 61 percent and 53 percent in the past two quarters respectively.

More than half of the survey respondents are active in the services industry, less than a fifth in trading and manufacturing, and the rest in other activities.-VNA