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Sensis® Business Index

The quarterly Sensis® Business Index has been tracking SME confidence and behaviour since February 1995. It surveys 1,800 metropolitan and regional SMEs from areas such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, hospitality, construction, communication, property, business services, health, community services, cultural and recreational industries.

Its primary objectives are to: 

  • track SME activity over the past quarter
  • track expectations over both the current three and 12-month periods, and
  • measure overall SME confidence.

Its secondary objective is providing an independent, objective assessment of the experiences and attitudes of SMEs on key issues.

Each report below will open as an Adobe Acrobat file in a new window.

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  • Sensis Business Index - March 2012

    March 2012

    The March 2012 Sensis® Business Index saw business confidence amongst SMEs weaken, falling two percentage points to a net balance of 25 per cent. Businesses cited people not spending, a decrease in business and a vulnerability to global economic conditions as reasons for weaker confidence this quarter.

    National, state and territory media releases
    National / NSW / VIC / QLD / WA / NT / SA / ACT / TAS

    pdf icon Sensis Business Index March 2012 (437.86kB)

  • Sensis Business Index - December 2011

    December 2011

    The December 2011 Sensis® Business Index saw business confidence among SMEs increase, rising 12 percentage points to a net balance of 27 per cent, reversing most of last quarter’s decline. Businesses cited being established and experienced in their business operations, providing necessary products and services and expecting conditions to improve as reasons for their stronger confidence this quarter.

    National, state and territory media releases
    National / NSW / VIC / QLD / WA / SA / NT / TAS / ACT

    pdf icon Sensis Business Index December 2011 (431.73kB)

  • Sensis Business Index - September 2011

    September 2011

    The September 2011 Sensis® Business Index found small business profitability is at a record low in Australia. Profitability amongst Australian small businesses fell sharply during the quarter and businesses were expecting further falls over the next 12 months.

    National and State Media releases

    National / NSW / VIC / QLD / SA /  WA / QLD /  NT /  TAS /  ACT  

    Report

    pdf icon  Sensis Business Index September 2011 (424.25kB)

  • Sensis® Business Index - June 2011

    June 2011

    The June 2011 Sensis® Business Index saw business confidence amongst SMEs fall sharply, dropping 16 percentage points and recording its second largest drop since the Index started in 1993. The only larger fall was that recorded at the same time last year, where confidence fell 18 percentage points.

    National and State Media:
    National / NSW / VIC / QLD / WA / SA / TAS / NT / ACT

    pdf icon June 2011 Sensis Business Index (421.79kB)

  • Sensis® Business Index February 2011

    February 2011

    After experiencing another quarter of weak consumer demand and the prospects of a stalling economy, many Australian small businesses are taking proactive steps to stem the tide. According to the Sensis® Business Index released today, small businesses have experienced 12 months of tough trading conditions, and many were now facing impacts from recent natural disasters.

    National and State Media:
    National / ACT / NSW / NT / SA / VIC / QLD / TAS / WA

    pdf icon Feb 2011 Sensis Business Index (438.38kB)

For more information on the Sensis® Business Index

For further information about commissioning Sensis to produce a report, please call:

Christena Singh, Report Author
Sensis Insights
03 8653 4896