The Central Bank of Brunei Darussalam (BDCB) published its September 2026 Business Sentiment Index (BSI) using a revised methodology, with the headline reading of 63.2 indicating that businesses expected conditions to improve compared with the previous month. Stronger customer demand, recovery in activity after the school holidays and promotional campaigns supported sentiment. The October outlook was broadly stable, with the index at 50.5, as anticipated sales and project activity were balanced by concerns about a slowdown toward the end of the year and uncertain market conditions.
The revised methodology allows the index to use its full scale of 0 to 100, rather than the previous calculation’s constrained range of 49.0 to 51.0. Readings from 45 to 55 now indicate neutral sentiment, replacing the fixed neutral point of 50. Values above 55 indicate expansion or optimism, while those below 45 indicate contraction or pessimism. Historical data have been recalculated and published to preserve comparability, without changing the economic interpretation of past results.
Investment indices remained optimistic, ranging from 79.0 to 81.1 across September and the two forecast horizons, supported by equipment purchases, project expenditure and expansion plans. The September employment index of 74.8 reflected recruitment for projects and operational needs, while the costs index of 65.9 reflected higher material, staffing and project expenses. Both employment and operating costs were expected to remain broadly stable in October. Sector sentiment varied sharply, with oil and gas businesses recording 70.2, compared with 9.0 for transport and communication amid project delays and weak consumer demand.