Confidence crashes

WA SMALL business sales and profits slumped during the past quarter, according to the latest Yellow Pages Small Business Index.

The survey found the number of proprietors reporting sales growth during the past three months fell 11 per cent to the lowest level since July 1998.

The net percentage of small businesses reporting profit increases fell 15 per cent to its lowest level for nearly four years.

Although capital ex-penditure growth fell only slightly, it remained negative.

WA small business operators’ predictions for future sales, employment, profitability and capital expenditure all fell significantly.

Each is at its lowest level since 1995.

Confidence in WA’s small business sector has slumped to its second lowest level in nearly seven years.

The survey found a net 42 per cent of the sector confident about their business prospects for the coming 12 months – down 14 per cent on the previous quarter.