Latest news with #businessactivity
Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Trelleborg lags profit estimates as Trump's trade war weighs on demand
July 17 (Reuters) - Swedish engineering group Trelleborg ( opens new tab missed market forecasts for second-quarter core earnings on Thursday, as U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war made customers cautious to place new orders, although it said business activity improved towards the end of the quarter. Trelleborg, which has more than 100 manufacturing facilities around the world, including in the U.S., said in April the direct impact of Trump's trade policies would be limited, but indirect effects could still negatively affect its business. Trelleborg's adjusted operating earnings before amortisation (EBITA) fell 1% to 1.59 billion Swedish crowns ($162.92 million) in the quarter. Analysts were expecting 1.62 billion crowns on average, according to LSEG's I/B/E/S data. Foreign exchange rates negatively impacted the quarterly core profit by 104 million crowns, the company said. Its order intake grew compared to the previous three months, with a stronger performance in June than at the beginning of the second quarter. "(The improving business activity) gives us reason for cautious optimism as we enter the second half of 2025, where we believe there is potential for organic growth for the Group," CEO Peter Nilsson said in the press release.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ulster Bank: Business activity in Northern Ireland fell last month
Business activity in Northern Ireland fell slightly in June, according to a survey by Ulster month it asks firms from across the private sector about things such as their staffing levels, order books and exports in what is considered a reliable indicator of economic reduction in business activity was caused by a decrease in new orders levels, with those who took part in the survey reporting muted footfall and a lack of client despite this fall, firms reported taking on more staff for the first time since January. The only sector recording an increase in activity was construction, whereas retail reported the sharpest economist for Ulster Bank, Sebastian Burnside, said the survey was "good news" for the local labour market in June as companies started hiring Ireland was the only area of the UK where employment rose."Other aspects paint a more subdued picture, however," Mr Burnside said."The expansion in output we saw last month was not sustained into June as new order inflows remained muted."The survey also suggested input prices continued to increase rapidly in June, with the pace of inflation ticking one-third of respondents registered an increase in input costs, again often linked to higher wages and the rise in National Insurance contributions."Companies are still confident about the year-ahead outlook, however, so we will hopefully see some demand and output improvements during the second half of the year," Mr Burnside said.
Reuters
08-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Australian business activity rebounds in June, survey finds
SYDNEY, July 8 (Reuters) - Australian business activity rebounded sharply in June as firms reported rising sales and profitability, a survey showed on Tuesday, offering hope demand was finally benefiting from lower borrowing costs and cooling inflation. National Australia Bank's survey showed its index of business conditions climbed to +9 in June, from zero in May, topping the long average of around +6. Its confidence index also increased 3 points to +5, for the third month of gains. "While we wouldn't overplay monthly moves, the uptick in trend conditions is welcome given the softening trend through early 2025," said NAB's chief economist, Sally Auld. "An improvement in confidence is also welcome, given the raft of negative headlines globally over recent months." The survey's measure of business sales jumped 10 points to +15, while profitability rose 9 points to +4 and employment gained 2 points to +3. By sector, manufacturing and retail saw the largest increases following large falls in May. The improvement in retail is welcome as consumer demand has struggled all year despite two cuts in interest rates and a slowdown in inflation. The Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Tuesday and is widely expected to again cut rates by a quarter point, to 3.60%. Markets are wagering on further easing to 3.10% or lower, since core inflation has dropped to the middle of the RBA's target band of 2% to 3%. NAB's survey showed growth in retail prices had slowed to a quarterly pace of 0.6% in June, the lowest since early 2023, even as purchase costs stayed up at 1.5%, pointing to some pressure on margins.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Australian business activity rebounds in June, survey finds
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian business activity rebounded sharply in June as firms reported rising sales and profitability, a survey showed on Tuesday, offering hope demand was finally benefiting from lower borrowing costs and cooling inflation. National Australia Bank's survey showed its index of business conditions climbed to +9 in June, from zero in May, topping the long average of around +6. Its confidence index also increased 3 points to +5, for the third month of gains. "While we wouldn't overplay monthly moves, the uptick in trend conditions is welcome given the softening trend through early 2025," said NAB's chief economist, Sally Auld. "An improvement in confidence is also welcome, given the raft of negative headlines globally over recent months." The survey's measure of business sales jumped 10 points to +15, while profitability rose 9 points to +4 and employment gained 2 points to +3. By sector, manufacturing and retail saw the largest increases following large falls in May. The improvement in retail is welcome as consumer demand has struggled all year despite two cuts in interest rates and a slowdown in inflation. The Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Tuesday and is widely expected to again cut rates by a quarter point, to 3.60%. Markets are wagering on further easing to 3.10% or lower, since core inflation has dropped to the middle of the RBA's target band of 2% to 3%. NAB's survey showed growth in retail prices had slowed to a quarterly pace of 0.6% in June, the lowest since early 2023, even as purchase costs stayed up at 1.5%, pointing to some pressure on margins.
Bloomberg
03-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
US Service Providers Expand at Modest Pace as Employment Slows
US service providers barely expanded in June, helped by a pickup in business activity and bookings even as an index of employment contracted the most in three months. The Institute for Supply Management's index of services rose nearly a point last month to 50.8, the group said Thursday. In May, the gauge showed the first contraction in nearly a year. Readings above 50 indicate expansion, and the latest figure was in line with a Bloomberg survey of economists.
