National Business Climate Survey results showed that the national business climate index (BCI) was 105.6 in the first quarter, slightly decreased 1.4 points over the previous quarter (the fourth quarter fell 21.6 points over than the third quarter in 2008)

The BCIs of industries was picking up to 99.8. Of the total, the manufacturing was 98.4, which closed to the threshold of business climate; that of transportation, storage and post industry, and information transfer computer services and software industry stood at 104.5 and 147.7 respectively, promoted 9.3 and 3.9 points over than the previous quarter; that of wholesale and retail trades industry, and social services industry was 122.6 and 105.7 respectively, which decreased over than the previous quarter. Due to the season’s factor, the BCIs of construction industry and accommodation industry were declined subsequently.

The BCIs of foreign funded enterprises, and enterprises with funds from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan stood at 104.6, remained the general level over the previous quarter; that of limited cooperation stood at 111.3, promoted 4.4 points over the previous quarter; that of state-owned enterprises, and limited liability company stood at 103.9 and 102.2, declined 6.3 and 3.0 points over the previous quarter. The BCIs of collective enterprises and joint-stock cooperative enterprises was picking up slightly; that of private enterprises was 96.8, decreased slightly over the previous quarter, and declined in the range significantly reduced, month-on-month.

The BCIs of western region was 106.8, stood at 1.0 points over the previous quarter; that of eastern and central regions was 104.4 and 107.1, dropped 2.2 and 2.8 points respectively over the previous quarter, and declined in the range significantly reduced.

(National Bureau of Statistics April 13, 2009)