Businesses expect revenue rise but are still downbeat about wider economy

The majority of Irish companies anticipate revenue increases this year, but more than half also remain pessimistic about the wider Irish economy.

That is according to a new survey of chief financial officers undertaken by professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. Some 51% of respondents said they see no change in the outlook for Ireland’s economy, while only 11% said they are optimistic about the chances of economic growth this year.

However, 58% of chief financial officers surveyed also said they anticipate growth in revenues at their own firms, with 55% saying they expect to see growth in net profits. A third of those questioned said they expect their capital investment levels to grow, but there were mixed readings on the issue of business costs — with a third expecting costs to decline and a similar amount saying they are likely to increase.