Better business sentiment - but no big boost to Singapore economy or jobs yet: Analysts

MORE companies now expect business prospects to improve than to worsen in the next six months - a U-turn from the persistent gloom during last year's coronavirus blues.

But the return to optimism is not expected to move the needle on economic forecasts and will not translate into a job market rebound, economists told The Business Times on Friday.

A net weighted balance of 32 per cent of manufacturers expect business conditions from January to June to beat the last quarter of 2020 - up from -3 per cent the quarter before, and its highest level since the wake of the global financial crisis.