Australian business owners optimistic and raring to go for the new year Aussie business are optimistic for the new year. THE prevailing new year's resolution of Australian business owners couldn't be clearer - we're optimistic and ready to grow. More than two-thirds of businesses (68 per cent) are more positive about their prospects for improved sales, profits and hiring after enduring a year of subdued growth and intense volatility in the Aussie dollar. In their quarterly business expectations survey, economic data giants Dun & Bradstreet also revealed 18 per cent of businesses were planning to tap into new credit during the three months to March, a firm indicator of improving confidence in the economy. D&B's sales index jumped to 27.5 points, a high point for the past 12 months. But the buoyancy could come at a cost to consumers, with the prospect of stronger sales likely to lead to higher prices for goods and services. The news was equally bright for job seekers, with 15 per cent of businesses intending to take on more staff during the March quarter. "The employment outlook has improved ... suggesting that the unemployment rate may soon start to fall as job creation picks up," D&B economic adviser Stephen Koukoulas said. In other findings, just over a third of businesses (37 per cent) labelled the Christmas trading period as significant to their fortunes. And some 39 per cent business chiefs said their company would be unaffected by the level of the Australian dollar. A further 21 per cent saw a lower dollar as a positive, while 32 per cent viewed it as a negative and 8 per cent were undecided. The survey gathers respondents from the manufacturing, wholesale, retail, services, construction, real estate, transport, finance, insurance, communications and utilities sectors. BusinessDaily, Page 25