September Business Outlook Survey (BOS) shows

that businesses remain upbeat about their performance outlook. In the first month of fall, businesses remained upbeat about their performance outlook on the back of robust consumer demand, a favorable external environment, and ongoing growth in investment activity. In September 2021, the index was 53.1, down from 53.4 in August. Trading companies expressed the most optimistic views about their performance outlook, as the sector’s index moved to 56.1 in September, up from 51.1 in August. Industrial companies have been upbeat about their economic performance outlook for five months running the sector’s DI being 52.8 in September, down from 54.3 in August. Construction companies were also upbeat about their economic performance outlook, the sector’s DI being 51.6 in September, down from 53.0 in August. Companies across all sectors reported intentions to raise their selling prices further amid strong expectations of higher raw material and supplies prices.