Business Conditions Deteriorate Further in Australia During April: NAB Group

Outlook among Australian companies worsened in April as the government continued the shutdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus

Business Conditions Deteriorate Further in Australia During April: NAB Group

Outlook among Australian companies worsened in April as the government continued the shutdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic across the country. According to the NAB, the business conditions index fell further into negative territory from -22 in March to -34 in April, indicating increasing pessimism among firms.

As the pandemic continues to dominate the sentiment worldwide, the business outlook index in Australia is far below the average reading of +6 and has sunk lower than readings during the 2009 financial crisis. The business confidence improved sightly from -66 in March to -46 in April, but still remains below zero indicating pessimism.

Meanwhile, the index measuring the outlook for sales and profits as well as employment also saw sharp declines in April. The NAB survey points to a sharp rise in unemployment across Australia on account of the shutdowns due to the pandemic.

According to Chief Economist at NAB Group, Alan Oster, “Confidence saw a rebound, but this provides little comfort given it remains around twice as weak as the 1990s recession. Business conditions declined further in the month, with a broad-based deterioration across industries.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR See More
Arslan Butt
Index & Commodity Analyst
Arslan Butt serves as the Lead Commodities and Indices Analyst, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field. With an MBA in Behavioral Finance and active progress towards a Ph.D., Arslan possesses a deep understanding of market dynamics.His professional journey includes a significant role as a senior analyst at a leading brokerage firm, complementing his extensive experience as a market analyst and day trader. Adept in educating others, Arslan has a commendable track record as an instructor and public speaker.His incisive analyses, particularly within the realms of cryptocurrency and forex markets, are showcased across esteemed financial publications such as ForexCrunch, InsideBitcoins, and EconomyWatch, solidifying his reputation in the financial community.

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