BURNING ISSUES
TAXES ARE TOP OF THE MIND
Twin anxieties continue to cast a shadow over business and national sentiment
High taxes continue to dominate the agenda in business circles, remaining the most pressing concern among corporate leaders for the 12th consecutive month. In January, 48 percent of surveyed executives identified high taxes as their primary concern – unchanged from December.
In the latest LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey, inflation retains its position as the second most pressing concern.
Nearly a third (32%) of respondents cited inflation as a major issue, reflecting a three point decline compared to the previous month.
Workforce standards also hold steady at No. 3 with 26 percent of participants flagging it as a concern – this represents a notable eight percentage point drop from December.
According to the exclusive poll conducted in the first week of January, interest rates and high utility bills rank jointly in fourth place with both issues cited by 21 percent of the sample population.
On a national scale, a clear majority of survey participants (59%) continue to view the economy as the country’s foremost challenge, marking a five point spike from December.
The cost of living moves up to second place among national concerns, cited by 41 percent of respondents – a seven percentage point decline.
Meanwhile, concerns about the impacts of climate change, which occupied the No. 2 position in December, drops to third place. It was cited by 22 percent of respondents, reflecting a sharp 29 percent decline from the previous month.
Brain drain maintains its position in fourth place with 15 percent expressing worry while the political culture ranks fifth – it was mentioned by 14 percent of those surveyed.
