- Consumer spending growth fell back following the pickup over Christmas and the New Year.
- Housing market activity grew steadily.
- Domestic manufacturing sales were broadly unchanged; export sales rose.
- Investment intentions eased a little; overall companies expected modest increases in investment spending.
- Construction output growth was steady.
- Business services growth remained strong.
- There was little change in employment or intentions, and recruitment difficulties were generally low.
- Capacity pressures were subdued.
- So far, there has been little sign of increased wage pressure from the ongoing pay round.
- Rising energy costs boosted input price inflation; output price inflation also picked up.
- Consumer price inflation was broadly unchanged.
Published on
20 March 2006
Agents' summary of business conditions - March 2006