More than half of local companies still believe their business will improve over the next six months - even though economic conditions are undoubtedly tough, according to the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive, Max Mason,
In the latest quarterly business confidence survey, 53 per cent of the respondents believed their own business situation would improve, 37 per cent thought it would remain the same, and 10 per cent said it would deteriorate.
These figures are similar to the survey in the previous quarter, but were a step up in business confidence from previous recent quarters, Mr Mason said.
Another question in the survey asked what they think about the wider business situation in New Zealand, and only 32 per cent believed it would improve over the next six months, while 51 per cent thought it would remain the same, and 16 per cent said it would deteriorate.
"It's seems quite inconsistent to have a big 21 per cent difference between their belief that conditions will improve in their own business (53 per cent) compared with the wider New Zealand economy (37 per cent) when the respondents collectively represent the wider economy.