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Hisham Farouk discusses the latest IBR results

Hisham Farouk Hisham Farouk

 

The latest research from the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) finds businesses in the UAE in a highly optimistic temperament about growth prospects for the year ahead, leading global confidence levels for hiring and profitability moving into 2014.

Of the 45 economies surveyed, only businesses in the Philippines (96%) are more confident in the local economic outlook. Net 84% of UAE business leaders express optimism for the year ahead which meant the UAE ranked higher than the US, Singapore and India.

This confidence extends into local business expectations for revenues, profits and hiring over the next 12 months. The UAE led all countries surveyed in Q3 for planned hiring over the next 12 months (net 66%) – ahead of Georgia (60%) and Turkey (56%), with the global average at 25% – and for profitability expectations (68%), well above the global average (38%). The UAE (84%) trails only India (86%) in terms of revenue expectations over the next 12 months.

Hisham Farouk, Managing Partner of Grant Thornton UAE commented: "The strength of business growth prospects reflects robust economic data. The UAE is expected to expand by around 4.4% forecast in both 2013 and 2014 and construction across the Gulf is booming with oil prices still well above US$100 per barrel. Clearly the openness of the UAE economy means is it susceptible to fluctuations in global trade patterns, but recent uncertainty in the US and some emerging economies does not seem to have dampened business confidence.

"Importantly, non-oil exports continue to grow as the economy diversifies, becoming a world-class hub for trade, transport and tourism. The emirate has invested heavily in recent years to boost trade, building manufacturing industries and economic zones. Port infrastructure and other transport links within the region, and to Asia and Africa are also improving, aswell as further building trading opportunities for businesses in the UAE. These investments are vital to increasing the long-term growth potential of the economy."

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