"Were your average selling prices
in the month just ended higher, about the
same, or lower than in the same month last year?"
Note: Chart shows percentage balances (percentage saying higher minus percentage saying lower). Earlier surveys include late responses and so may differ from figures published elsewhere. |
Internet-connected firms are giving a warning that prices in the economy
are set to rise. Almost 39 per cent of these firms said that their average selling prices were higher in January 1998 than in January 1997. Only 7 per cent said that their prices were lower. The balance of +32 per cent reporting higher prices is, by a considerable margin, the highest since these surveys began, six months ago. |
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This increase in prices comes despite a definite levelling off in sales
growth. Although 57 per cent of the firms said that their sales were higher in January 1998 than in January 1997, some 20 per cent said that they were lower. The resulting balance (the proportion saying higher minus the proportion saying lower) of +37 per cent is only a little higher than that in the previous survey and is considerably below the levels recorded up to October 1997. |
"Was your sales turnover
in the month just ended higher, about the
same, or lower than in the same month last year?"
Note: Chart shows percentage balances (percentage saying higher minus percentage saying lower). Earlier surveys include late responses and so may differ from figures published elsewhere. |
|
In the December 1997 survey, internet-connected firms were asked about the
issue which has become known, among other things, as the millenium bug and
the Year 2000 problem. Some 60 per cent of firms said that they believed that all of their business computer systems are now Year 2000 compliant. 28 per cent know that their systems are not yet compliant, while the remaining 12 per cent do not know whether or not their systems will be able to deal with the problem. |
"Do you believe that all of your business computer systems are now Year
2000 compliant?"
|
"Has your business so far taken steps to check and ensure Year 2000
compliance of its computer systems?"
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Less than one-quarter of firms said that they had not taken any steps to
check on the compliance of their systems. Half of all firms with over
50 employees had taken steps to ensure compliance, but knew that their
systems were not yet ready for the year 2000.
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E-mail us with comments, queries or suggestions for future topical questions at: esurvey@mccannics.co.uk.
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