61.2% of survey respondents felt that SARS has had a negative impact on their businesses, while 4.4% say they have experienced a positive impact and 34.4% have seen no change. 

Firms in China (78.4%), Hong Kong (75.8%), Singapore (74.9%) and Taiwan (74.2%) have been most affected by SARS.  The least affected companies appear to be in Thailand (29.5%) and Indonesia (27.0%). 

66.6% of companies reported no progress in business talks, while 33.1% of respondents said talks concerning new business had been suspended and 32.2% of those surveyed are seeing decreased sales or profits. 

Of the companies reporting a positive impact from SARS, 54.9% are experiencing increased sales or profits, 50.7% are seeing increased inquiries or orders, while 11.3% report "increased new clients".  JETRO suggests that these results may refelect the shifting of procurements from China to the ASEAN region. 

Measures taken by companies to cope with SARS have included "strengthened promotion and sales" (14.2%), "increased stocking of parts, etc." ( 23.9%), "use of alternative manufacturing bases" (2.6%) and "procurements from other locations" (1.2%). 

Asked about sales performance in May, 28.3% of those surveyed reported a decline from the previous month, while 6.6% saw an increase. 

If SARS were to continue another two to three months, 37.2% of those surveyed would expect to see a decrease in sales, while 5.1% would expect an increase.  Among firms planning future investments in China, 59.0% said they are proceeding according to schedule, 37.6% have postponed plans and 2.7% have terminated plans. 

**Exchange rates against the US dollar**

**Date: 27 June 2003**

**COUNTRYRATE**AustraliaA\$1.50Austria€0.87Belgium€0.87CanadaC\$1.35ChinaYn8.28DenmarkDKr6.50Finland€0.87France€0.87Germany€0.87IndiaRs46.30Italy€0.87Japan¥119.60MalaysiaRt3.80Netherlands€0.87NorwayNKr7.25PhilippinesPeso53.50SingaporeS\$1.76South AfricaR7.47South KoreaWon1193.00Spain€0.87SwedenSKr8.03SwitzerlandSFr1.35TaiwanT\$34.51ThailandBt41.97UK\$0.61USAUS\$1.00
