Global Marketers Still Thinking Positive

The business outlook for marketers around the world remains positive, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI), which takes into account marketers' expectations for trading conditions, marketing and staffing levels.

December's headline GMI increased by 0.8 points to 58.6 from, November, boosted by growing confidence in the Americas, where the index rose to 58.8 (up 1.3 points). Europe maintained its highest ever headline index this month, on 59.1 (up 0.1 points), while Asia Pacific dipped slightly in December (down 0.6 points) but continues to indicate positive conditions on 57.2.

Within the headline GMI, the outlook for global trading conditions saw rapid improvement on 62.7, and the global index of marketing budgets recorded its highest ever value on 57.3 (+1.1 points). However, GMI's index of staffing levels dipped 0.6 points to 55.8 globally. Employment levels are rising most rapidly in the Americas (57.8), followed by Europe (55.6) and Asia Pacific (54.8).

Suzy Young (pictured), Data and Journals Director at Warc, comments: 'The latest GMI data are broadly consistent with last month and indicate improving business conditions for global marketers. It will be interesting to see if the headline GMI remains stable in the first few months of 2014 as we enter the post-holiday season and the US debt ceiling returns to the fore.'

Web site: www.warc.com .