National Australia Bank produce a quarterly business survey in addition to their monthly

(Most recent month is here: business conditions at the highest since January 2008)

Business confidence for the next 3 months in at 6

  • prior (Q4 2016 survey) also 6

Conditions

  • Current 8, prior 6 (longer run average is 1)
  • next 3 months 19, prior 14

Investment intentions (capex) for the upcoming year:

  • 28, prior 22
  • Capicity utilisation is at 81.9%, prior 81.0%

More (last 3 months figures first ... next 3 mths figures second):

  • Profitability 8, prior 6 ... 21 (prior 14)
  • Trading conditions 10, prior 10 ... 24 (21)
  • Employment 5, prior 3 .... 11 (7) ... i.e. hiring intentions the next 3 months
  • Forward orders 4, prior 1 ... 15 (8) ('forward orders' .... nope, I don't know what other type there is either)
  • Inventory 4, prior 3 ... 3 (0)
  • Exports 2, prior 2 ... 12 (11)
  • Margins -4, prior -5 ... 2 (4)

Positive results from the survey. AUD is barely changed.

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NABs quarterly survey is of around 900 firms