Survey shows many planning cost-cutting measures, which include downsizing.
Just over one in 10 companies polled are optimistic about business prospects over the next six months, compared with almost one-quarter back in April 1998. The least sanguine appear to be electronics manufacturers. And among those paying increments and bonuses this year, the payouts, while lower than before, are still fairly decent amounts. Wage increases are declining from 4.8 per cent at the start of the year to 3.7 per cent for the second half of the year, giving an overall increase of 4.2 per cent for the whole year. Engineering companies, on the other hand, have given the lowest raises, averaging 3.4 per cent.