• Manufacturing sector leads recovery, followed by retail and wholesale sectors, survey shows
• Respondents highlight inflation, taxation, inconsistent policies, rupee devaluation as key threats

ISLAMABAD: The latest survey conducted by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has shown marked improvement in business confidence over the country’s economic and business outlook.

The OICCI released the results of its Business Confidence Index (BCI) Wave 27 survey that depicted a significant improvement in the overall business confidence, which improved by 16 percentage points to positive 11 per cent from negative 5pc in the previous wave conducted in October-November 2024.

This is the first time in nearly three years that business confidence has ente­red positive territory. The last time the index was in the green was in May 2022, when it stood at 17pc. Since then, it had remained negative, registering -4pc, -25pc, -18pc, -14pc, and -5pc in subsequent waves.

The survey was conducted by the US firm AC Nielsen across Pakistan in March and April 2025, before the period of a recent standoff with India. The positive shift in sentiment across various sectors of the economy can largely be attributed to macroeconomic stability, declining inflation, and anticipated improvements in business conditions over........

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