This paper provides an overview of the data sample, structure and uses of the data collected monthly since 2000 through the CBI’s suite of business surveys. The surveys gather information from thousands of ?rms on various economic outcomes, both retrospectively and in expectation, and provide a rich source of real-time information on the state of the economy. This paper describes the questions posed, the sample frame – including details on the number and participation rates of respondents – the characteristics of the firm participants and a summary of the properties of the data relating to some key business cycle features, namely, movements in output, investment, capacity, and inventories.
