Group 1 - The business confidence index in Australia rose to 2 points in May 2025, while the business conditions index fell to 0 points, indicating a weak business environment [1] - The business conditions index has been steadily declining since the end of last year, primarily due to weak corporate profitability, with the profitability indicator remaining in negative territory at -4 points in May [1] - The three sub-indicators of the business conditions index showed a decline: the trading indicator dropped from 6 points to 5 points, the profitability indicator stayed at -4 points, and the employment indicator fell from 4 points to 0 points [1] Group 2 - Most industries in Australia experienced a decline in business conditions in May, with the retail and manufacturing sectors showing the most significant downturn [2] - The mining and transport/utilities sectors, which had previously shown significant volatility, saw notable improvement in business conditions this month [2] - The mining and entertainment/personal services sectors exhibited the strongest performance in business conditions, while manufacturing and retail sectors remained the weakest [2]

Core Insights - The Australian National Bank's report indicates a rebound in the business confidence index to -1 points in April 2025, while the business conditions index fell to 2 points, suggesting threats to the economic recovery observed in Q4 of the previous year [1][2] - The report highlights a decline in corporate profitability as a key factor weakening the business conditions index, despite a slight improvement in business confidence, which remains below long-term averages [1] Business Conditions - The business conditions index components showed a decrease in the trading indicator from 6 points to 5 points, a drop in the profitability indicator from 0 points to -4 points, while the employment indicator remained unchanged at 4 points [1] - The forward orders index, a leading indicator for economic outlook, fell from -2 points to -3 points, and capacity utilization decreased from 82.8% to 81.4% [1] Cost Indicators - Labor costs maintained a three-month growth rate of 1.6%, while procurement cost growth increased from 1.4% to 1.7% [1] - Finished goods price growth rose from 0.6% to 0.8%, with retail finished goods price growth increasing from 0.9% to 1.4% [1] Sector Performance - The mining, transport, and utilities sectors experienced significant deterioration in business conditions in April, contrasting sharply with improvements seen in March [2] - Mining and leisure/personal services sectors reported the best business conditions, while manufacturing and retail sectors showed the worst performance [2] Economic Outlook - Overall, business conditions and confidence in Australia remain weak relative to average levels, indicating risks to the economic recovery [2] - The report suggests that Australian businesses have shown resilience against global tariff impacts, with minimal effects from increased U.S. tariffs and rising global uncertainties [2]