1.   Another managing director was extremely sceptical about the value of business confidence surveys.

2.   A regional business survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond indicated somewhat higher inflation.

3.   Advocates of a total ban hope the business survey means executives are ready to act against the status quo.

4.   Also on Thursday, the Economic Planning Agency will release its quarterly consumer and business sentiment surveys.

5.   Business group surveys add to the growing evidence of an economic slowdown.

6.   He said the central bank would likely wait until after its sees the results of a key business sentiment survey to be released in September before adjusting rates.

7.   Japanese bonds fell as the main numbers in a Bank of Japan business sentiment survey showed the economy may be in better shape than traders had expected.

8.   Of course, this theory supports the business survey and its more optimistic view.

9.   On Monday, the Bank of Japan released a much-worse-than-expected quarterly business survey of economic sentiment.

10.   Recent business surveys support the bullish outlook.