Business Sentiments / Confidence Survey

Published: Tuesday May 12th, 2009

The Central Bank is pleased to announce the launch of the attached Business Sentiments / Confidence Survey. Private sector firms are invited to become ongoing participants in this exercise. The objective is to capture and analyse qualitative data on domestic economic activities that can be of use to decision makers in both the public and private sectors. The survey will provide early indications of the direction in which private sector activities are trending, and supplement the data which the Bank already collects on the financial sector.

Other than limited specifics that would create a profile of each business and allow the data to be consolidated in a reliable fashion, respondents are only being asked to signal the direction in which conditions have recently changed or are expected to change. Ideally, these assessments should be provided by the Chief Executive Officer or another senior person who is sufficiently knowledgeable about the business environment.

Participants should be assured that the Central Bank will only publish consolidated results, and will treat individual responses confidentially. Questions about the Survey can be addressed to following persons:

Mrs. Cherran Weech-O’Brien, Research Officer, Research Department, Tel: (242)-302-2711 Email: [email protected].

Ms. Sherry Sands, Research Officer, Research Department, Tel: (242)-302-2715, Email: [email protected].

The deadline for submission of returns is 3rd June 2009. Returns may be posted, faxed or emailed to The Manager, Research Department, Central Bank of The Bahamas, P.O. Box N-4868, Nassau, Bahamas Fax: (242) 356-4324 Email: [email protected].

The next Business Sentiments / Confidence Surveys are scheduled for August and November 2009.

SURVEY FORMS

A PDF copy of the survey may be downloaded from one of the below the links below. Companies are asked to use a version of which corresponds to the sector in which they operate. The form may be completed electronically may be completed electronically, using the Adobe Acrobat Reader. These should be printed and returned to the Central Banks.

Completed forms may also saved and emailed to [email protected] if the respondents have access to versions of Acrobat Standard or other similar software.