CE Barometer results for September 2021

The September 2021 barometer survey was undertaken during the first two weeks of October.

As an overview, there appears to be a levelling off of growth, and, while business is clearly better now than it was a year ago, optimism about the future is tempered with concerns about new challenges, including the well-reported supply chain issues and materials shortages.

This month, the balance figure (the difference between those reporting positive and negative movement between August and September 2021) stands at 30.9%, up almost 10% on the previous survey.

While the percentage of respondents seeing an improvement in business remains the same as in the previous month, the number seeing a drop in business has basically halved (down to 10.3% from 20%).

Looking back to the same time a year ago, the number seeing a drop in business is now down to just 7.4% of respondents – a clear indication that the worst of Covid is behind us. Again, though, there is an increase in the percentage of respondents reporting a stabilisation of business, as opposed to continued growth.

Nonetheless, an impressive 69.1% of respondents are enjoying healthier business levels than they were last year.

Having seen a number of false starts, however – and no doubt concerned about supply chain and recruitment issues – respondents are understandably circumspect about the future.

Looking a year ahead, 50% believe business will continue to improve, down from 60% in the last survey.

Almost all of those lost from the ‘optimistic’ column, have shifted to the other extreme, with almost 10% growth in respondents expecting a dip in business in 12 months’ time.