Page 11 - BOSS Today Issue 26

be flat in Q4. “It should be
✱ Employment levels
continued to decline in Q3; required read-
a trend expected to persist
in Q4. ing for industry
✱ Average prices improved executives who
in Q3 but are forecast to slip
slightly in Q4. care about the
✱ Employee and distribution
costs showed some increases, business
whilst energy exhibited climate in
some decreases; cost
expectations, with the which their
exception of rising staff costs,
are subdued. firms are
✱ After a long period of operating.”
shrinkage, average stock
levels have levelled off; stock
turn improved in Q3. Kyle Jardine,
✱ Margins continued to be BOSS Research
positive, just; the forecast Manager
for margins remains negative.
✱ Investment intentions over
the next 12 months are “The vast
strong.
✱ The level of bad debt is a majority of
concern but the incidence of
late payment appears to have respondents
stabilised.
predicted a
BOSS Outlook also features: positive
(48%, compared to 53% in Q2) has been running for just over ✱ UK headline economic data.
and, in third place once again, two years now. However, in this ✱ CBI forecasts and assessment. forecast
‘Access To Skilled Staff (30% in time it has developed into an ✱ Paper sector consumption balance for
both Q2 and Q3). important resource for those statistics from the
Some threats appear to involved in the industry. It should Confederation of Paper Q4 2014.”
have diminished significantly be required reading for industry Industries and a graphic
in Q3: ‘Paper Cost/Prices’ is executives who care about the paper price index from
now a concern for only 11% business climate in which their PPL Research Ltd.
of respondents (compared to firms are operating. ✱ Commentary by
29% in Q2), and fears about the The current report has a lot to Martin Wilde Associates Ltd
‘Survival of Major Suppliers’ has offer – in particular on costs, ✱ Comment on the energy
also decreased from 27% in Q2 investment and pay reviews sector from Schneider
to 11% in Q3. The only issue to – and sits well alongside the Electric.
register a significant increase in detailed product sector BOSS/GfK ✱ Advertising sector data
citations this quarter was ‘Late Market Tracking reports that are and analysis from the
Payment by Customers’; this also available to BOSS members Advertising Association/Warc
was noted by only 10% in Q2 on our website.” Expenditure Report and the
but by as many as 21% in Q3, Other key findings of the IPA Bellwether Report.
suggesting that this is a widening report include:
problem. ✱ Sales volumes took a turn for n BOSS OUTLOOK IS FREE
Kyle Jardine, BOSS Research the worse in Q3; the Q4 TO BOSS MEMBERS AND
Manager, commented: “BOSS forecast is for relatively AVAILABLE FROM THE
Outlook is a relatively new survey subdued growth. BOSS WEBSITE: www.
of the state of trade in the office ✱ Output growth nosedived bossfederation.com/outlook/
supplies and services sector – it in Q3 and is expected to

February/March 2015 | BOSS TODAY 11

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