Decisions were made in the short-term interest of the shareholder (or at least management’s interpretation of it), and whether decisions were legal, with too little consideration of whether they were ethical or in the interests of the customer. Ironically, this behaviour has been massively destructive for long-term shareholder value, as well as customers, and financial stability.
That said, business sentiment and investment intentions remain positive, suggesting that firms are getting on with business and adjusting to this more volatile environment. As such, the greater-than-expected increase in imports of machinery and equipment in the first three months of the year bodes well for business investment growth.