RAMALLAH, November 2, 2011 (WAFA) - Overall performance of business enterprises in the third quarter of 2011 has improved from the second quarter, according to 26.8% of the owners and managers of the industrial enterprises: 28.0% for the West Bank and 21.1% for the Gaza Strip, said a report by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) published Wednesday.
The results showed that 22.0% of owners and managers of industrial enterprises, 22.2% in the West Bank and 21.1% in Gaza Strip, believe the financial situation improved in the third quarter of 2011 compared with the second quarter.
Survey results show weak borrowing by active industrial enterprises from operating banks in the Palestinian Territory during the third quarter of 2011; 96.4% of owners of industrial enterprises stated that they refrained from borrowing from operating banks, while 2.7% of them did apply for bank loans only one time. The percentage of enterprises that borrowed more than one time was 0.9%.
The expectations of 60.1% of owners and managers of active industrial enterprises in the Palestinian Territory revealed that the main reason for the decline in sales level is due to the decrease in purchasing power of consumers in the third quarter 2011.
Owners and managers of active industrial enterprises indicated a number of difficulties that hindered exports in the third quarter of 2011. About 85.1% of owners/managers of exporting enterprises in the West Bank indicated that commitment to international market requirements is considered to have the largest negative impact on export activities, while 85.0% believed that compliance to quantity demanded and delivery time is an additional obstacle.
In the Palestinian Territory, 93.4% of owners/managers of active industrual enterprises, 92.0% for the West Bank and 100.0% for Gaza Strip, indicated that the main product of their enterprises faced local and foreign competition.
On the other hand, 10.5% of owners of industrial enterprises indicated that their main product faced foreign competition, while 32.8% of owners and managers of industrial enterprises indicated that their main product faced both types of competition.
The expectations of owners and managers of active industrial enterprises in the fourth quarter of 2011 show that 26.3% expect improvement in their situation in general. The expectations in the Palestinian Territory concerning the production situation indicate that 25.2% foresee an increase during fourth quarter of 2011: 25.2% in the West Bank and 25.0% in the Gaza Strip. The results show that 25.6% of owners and managers of industrial enterprises in the Palestinian Territory expect an increase of sales in the fourth quarter, 25.8% for the West Bank and 25.0% for Gaza Strip.
T.R./F.J.
