After a gloomy Q1, businesses foresee better Q2 in FY25: EIB

Bangladesh's businesses, which suffered from production and supply disruptions as well as soaring input costs in the first quarter of this fiscal year (FY2024-25), are optimistic of a better second quarter (October-December) on the back of some initiatives of the interim government, finds a survey.

The survey, conducted by Economic Intelligence Bangladesh (EIB) in October on nine industrial sectors, has found that 64% of the respondents are expecting growth in Q2.

A majority (55%) of surveyed firms anticipate up to 20% increase in production, according to the findings of EIB, a joint research publication by The Business Standard and DataSense.

This optimistic forecast comes in stark contrast to 46% of respondents reporting declines in production in Q1, which saw the fall of the Awami League regime on 5 August in a mass uprising led by students.

Apart from the foreign exchange crisis, issues such as the cash crisis, labour unrest, lower consumer demand, supply chain disruptions, and energy shortages hindered firm operations during that period.

The latest issue, titled "Unrest or reform, businesses must go on" and released on Sunday, shows that businesses have built their hope for the running quarter on some quick measures taken by the interim government in banking, foreign currency management, and trade facilitation.

Business executives expect some favourable policies may ease economic pressures and create stronger market demand in the second quarter.

They are prioritising workforce stability in FY25, with 73% planning to maintain the same staffing level in this quarter as in the July-September period. Though hiring has slowed, layoffs remain low at 9%, found the survey.

The latest issue of EIB is available at https://intel.tbsnews.net/7th-issue/.