Business services monitor: first quarter 2011
Turnover in business services again showed positive developments in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same quarter of 2010. Turnover increased slightly less than in the previous quarter. The positive opinions about the economic climate among the entrepreneurs in business services hardly changed in the first quarter of 2011. The entrepreneurs predict turnover growth in the second quarter of 2011. They also predict increasing prices and employment.
Modest turnover growth for business service providers
Turnover of the business service providers in the first quarter of 2011 was up by 0,7 percent on a year before. This means that turnover in the branch has now grown for the third quarter in a row since the downturn started in the second quarter of 2009. The highest turnover increase of nearly 16 percent was travel agencies and information. The largest dip in turnover was found among the architects, whose turnover was down by more than 13 percent on the first quarter of 2010.
Year-on-year turnover changes for business service providers
Opinions about the economic climate still positive
The Business Sentiment Survey of April 2011 shows that entrepreneurs providing business services remain positive about the economic climate in the second quarter of 2011. Opinions had dropped to a low in 2009, when 60 percent of the companies were negative. Opinions have improved consistently ever since and from the second quarter of 2010 onwards the positives have outweighed the negatives. In the first quarter of 2011 the economic climate was seen as positive by over one in nine companies.
Opinions about the economic climate
Positive developments expected
Dutch entrepreneurs expect a turnover increase in the second quarter of 2011. On balance over one in four companies expect their turnover to increase. Furthermore the entrepreneurs expect they can charge higher prices. They also expect a slight improvement in employment in business services.
Expectations for the second quarter of 2011
