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Business
Indian firms show gloom on economy yet confidence in business outlook, IMA survey finds
✍️ Business Standard
🗓 02 Nov 2026, 05:03 AM
👁 21
A recent IMA India survey reveals that while companies remain wary of the overall economic climate, they stay optimistic about their own business prospects.
The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) India released the results of a nationwide survey that canvassed a broad mix of enterprises across manufacturing, services and technology sectors. Respondents were asked to assess both the macro‑economic environment and the outlook for their own operations.
A clear majority expressed a pessimistic view of the country’s economic trajectory, citing persistent inflation, volatile global demand and policy uncertainty as key drag factors. The sentiment marks a shift from earlier optimism recorded in previous quarters.
Despite the bleak macro view, the same firms projected growth in their individual businesses, pointing to strong order books, ongoing digital transformation initiatives and resilient domestic demand. Many indicated plans to expand capacity and invest in technology over the next twelve months.
IMA officials said the dual outlook underscores a decoupling between macro‑economic expectations and firm‑level confidence, suggesting that businesses are preparing to navigate headwinds while still betting on internal growth drivers.
A clear majority expressed a pessimistic view of the country’s economic trajectory, citing persistent inflation, volatile global demand and policy uncertainty as key drag factors. The sentiment marks a shift from earlier optimism recorded in previous quarters.
Despite the bleak macro view, the same firms projected growth in their individual businesses, pointing to strong order books, ongoing digital transformation initiatives and resilient domestic demand. Many indicated plans to expand capacity and invest in technology over the next twelve months.
IMA officials said the dual outlook underscores a decoupling between macro‑economic expectations and firm‑level confidence, suggesting that businesses are preparing to navigate headwinds while still betting on internal growth drivers.