Central Bank of Brunei Darussalam releases January 2026 Business Sentiment Index with current conditions at 50.2 and stable one-month outlook

The Central Bank of Brunei Darussalam published Brunei Darussalam’s Business Sentiment Index (BSI) for January 2026, based on a survey of around 500 businesses across 11 sectors. The Current Business Conditions sub-index came in at 50.2, signalling slightly more optimistic expectations than December 2025, while the one-month-ahead index was 50.0, indicating broadly stable expectations for February 2026. Sub-indices showed investment sentiment modestly positive, with current and one-month-ahead readings at 50.5 and the three-month-ahead index at 50.7, linked to planned premises expansion, new products, restocking, upgrades, and project-related equipment purchases. Employment remained subdued at 49.7 for both the current month and one month ahead, reflecting contract expiries, staff departures, and cost-management adjustments, alongside reported hiring frictions. Costs were 49.7 for the current month and 50.2 one month ahead, with January expected to be lower than December due to reduced bonus and year-end promotion expenses, and February costs anticipated to rise moderately ahead of festive-related activity. By sector, Health and Education recorded the strongest optimism (50.9), while Transport and Communication was the weakest (49.3); Construction, Real Estate and Ownership of Dwellings, and Wholesale and Retail Trade were slightly below neutral at 49.9. By business size, sentiment was marginally positive among large (50.2) and medium firms (50.1), and neutral among small and micro firms (50.0).