The Companies Survey for the second quarter of 2016 indicates that the business sector returned to the growth rate that has characterized it over the past three years. The weighted net balance for the second quarter is positive to a statistically significant degree (Figure 1 and Table 1). There are positive net balances in domestic-demand oriented industries—trade, construction and transport and communications. In contrast, in the manufacturing, services, and hotels industries, the net balances are near zero, indicating that in those industries the rate of change is lower. Expectations for the third quarter among the various industries are in line with the net balances of the current quarter, other than in the services industry, where a marked expansion in activity is expected (despite a near-zero net balance).
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