KUALA LUMPUR, SME Bank has released the results of its SME Sentiment Index for the first half of 2024, revealing an increase in confidence among Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) compared to the previous survey in the second half of last year. This index acts as a leading economic indicator, assessing MSMEs' perspectives on the business environment and providing a benchmark for overall future economic performance. "The SME Sentiment Index has seen an improvement, rising to 54.7 in the first half of 2024 from 53.5 in the second half of 2023," said SME Bank's Group President/Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Wira (Dr.) Aria Putera Ismail. "This positive shift is primarily driven by better economic expectations, improved cash flow, and stronger liquidity buffers among MSMEs. These results reflect the optimism, resilience, and adaptability of our MSMEs as they navigate Malaysia's steady economic recovery.' Source: BERNAMA News Agency