Business optimism index in services sector inches up to 9%

But the real estate industry expects business to deteriorate amidst property curbs.

More firms engaged in the services sector have become more positive as +9% of them believe that business will be more favourable for H2 2018 from +8% in H1, the Department of Statistics Singapore (SingStat) revealed.

The agency found that 17% in the services sector are optimistic about business for the second half of the year. Meanwhile, 75% believe businesses will remain stable whilst 8% think that businesses will deteriorate.

All industries within the services sector are anticipating favourable conditions for H2 2018 except for the real estate industry (-13%).

“In particular, real estate developers expect the recent government property cooling measures including the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) and the Loan-to-Value limits to have a negative impact on the property market,” SingStat noted.

Amongst the industries in the sector, accommodation (+38%) and food and beverage (+37%) are the most optimistic for H2 2018, followed by business services (+17%), financial and insurance (+14%), and recreation, community, and personal services (+12%).

Other industries including information and communication (+9%), retail trade (+7%), transport and storage (+6%), and wholesale trade (+4%) also displayed positive outlook for their businesses.

If you've been wondering whether SBR could work for your company — yes, probably.

A lot of the companies we partner with started as readers. They'd been following our coverage for a while, saw their own customers and competitors in it, and eventually asked the obvious question: could we do something with you? The answer is usually yes. The shape of it depends on what you're trying to do.

The options are broader than most people assume — thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. Some partners use one channel; most use a mix. We figure out the right combination by starting with your brief, not with our rate card.

So if the question has been on your mind, here's the easy way to ask it.

We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia