While many of the companies on the SmartCompany Dun &  Bradstreet Industry Growth list for the engineering sector have been hurt by the downturn, they have been able to grow by adopting two very different strategies: focusing on profitable niches and diversifying to avoid struggling sectors of the economy.

Nearly 27,000 Australian firms have had their risk profile downgraded since April 1, 2009 and more than 25,000 are now a higher risk of paying their trade accounts in a severely delinquent manner, according to new figures released today by Dun & Bradstreet.

Recent data indicating a slowdown in the pace of economic deceleration should not be interpreted as the start of a global recovery. A new report released today by Dun & Bradstreet states that the outlook for the world economy over 2009-10 remains poor and the downside risk to Australia remains considerable as a consequence.

Australian executives still believe that the immediate future will be challenging despite being one of few developed countries not currently in a recession. Employment, sales and profit expectations have all improved but capital investment confidence is continuing on a downward trend.

While the downturn hit the transport industry about six months later than most sectors, the slowdown in domestic and international trade is now buffeting transport and logistics companies.

The number of business-to-business debts referred for collection has increased by close to twenty percent year-on-year and their dollar value is up by almost fifty percent.

Australians business executives have given a mixed outlook on the economy as employment growth and capital investment confidence deteriorates but sales and profits expectations improve.

The SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Industry Growth List for the recruitment industry shows that employment services are suffering under skyrocketing unemployment, but are surviving by changing their focus.

Nearly 130,000 Australian businesses have had their risk profile downgraded since October 1, 2008 (the beginning of Australia's first quarter of negative economic growth in 17 years) and are now a higher risk of experiencing financial distress over the next twelve months, according to Australia's leading credit reporting agency Dun & Bradstreet. This is the largest number of businesses that Dun & Bradstreet has ever downgraded in a six month period.

Australian businesses continue to feel the pressure of the global economic downturn with payment terms rising to 57.6 days, following a steady increase since the global credit crisis was first identified in September 2007. Dun & Bradstreet's quarterly trade payment analysis reveals a five day increase in terms since September 2007, taking business-to-business payment terms (all industries) to almost double the standard term.

Global and domestic stimulus plans have not yet shifted business expectations as executives continue to report a negative outlook for profits, sales and capital investment and employment expectations deteriorate even further.

One third of Australians with a mortgage are prepared to miss a repayment and 41 percent of people admit to making at least one bill payment late in the last 12 months with phones, utilities and credit cards presenting the greatest challenges.

The 50 companies on the SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Industry Growth List  include infrastructure providers such as Service Stream, ($450 million in revenue), telco service giant Singapore Telecommunications, ($14.8 billion) and smaller companies such as telephone service provider Vonic, ($1.2 million).

A collapse in world trade, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, and a sharp drop in economic growth for China have significantly heightened the downside risk to Australia's outlook, according to a new report released today by leading credit reporting and business intelligence firm Dun & Bradstreet (D&B).

Dun & Bradstreet has acquired the 53% of FCS OnLine shares it did not hold making it the sole owner of the business as it looks to further integrate its credit reporting and identity verification businesses.

Australia's economic outlook continues to worsen as executives' expect a further deterioration in business conditions and performance in the forthcoming June quarter.

The SmartCompany Dun  & Bradstreet Industry Growth List for the banking and finance sector, while revealing an industry reeling from the global crisis, has also uncovered the successful fallback tactic of finding a niche and making it your own.

The number of companies rated a high risk of financial distress or failure in 2009 is up 12% on the previous year and 26% on 2007 figures, according to new research released today by Dun  & Bradstreet.

Australian firms have had a difficult start to the New Year and executives are anticipating the quarter ahead will be the most challenging yet. The latest Dun & Bradstreet Business Expectations Survey reveals that an increasing number of firms expect sales, profits, employment and capital investment to weaken further in the June 2009 quarter.

Australian firms are under pressure as a blow-out in trade payment days hits business cashflow. Businesses averaged 56.5 days to settle accounts in the December 2008 quarter, the highest level recorded since 2001 and an increase of four days over a 12 month period, according to Dun & Bradstreet's Quarterly Trade Payments Analysis.

The differences between young and old, and high and low income households are becoming increasingly prevalent, with Dun & Bradstreet's latest Consumer Credit Expectations Survey revealing that young Australians and high income households have significantly higher expectations for new credit applications and lower debt levels than their older and lower income counterparts.

Looking back 12 months to the start of 2008, challenges were just starting to creep up on Australian businesses. Significant impacts from the US-led credit crisis had not yet been felt and the economy hadn't begun its dramatic slowdown.     However Dun & Bradstreet's Business Expectations Survey showed that Australian executives were anticipating deteriorating conditions, with the expected indexes for sales, profits and capital investment all starting a downward trend.

World economic growth will fall to 1.0% in 2009, the lowest level in more than ten years, before rebounding to 2.1% in 2010, according to a report released today by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B).

Australian businesses are preparing for a challenging year, with executives anticipating further declines in sales, profits, employment and capital investment in the March 2009 quarter.