Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am pleased to welcome you here this afternoon because we have many questions for you about businesses.
The first question concerns the economic downturn of the past year. Have businesses truly been impacted by this downturn? Have many shut down? Have many businesses declared bankruptcy?
I would also like to get your thoughts on the coming year. Are we heading in the right direction, or do you predict that the economy will stagnate? Is lack of financing a problem? Are business entrepreneurs really having a hard time getting venture capital to start up their business or to purchase needed business equipment?
The questions are directed to all of you.