The latest ASSOCHAM-Dun & Bradstreet Small Business Confidence Index (SBCI) survey for Q3, 2023 on Friday noted that persistently high input costs are expected to endure among businesses, primarily due to the limited bargaining power of SMEs, potential supply chain bottlenecks, and uncertainty in the movement of commodity prices globally. As a result, 80 percent of SMEs anticipate rising costs to translate into increased selling prices in Q3. According to the survey, higher sales prices and a robust demand outlook are likely to favor higher profitability during the quarter. Dr Arun Singh, Global Chief Economist, Dun & Bradstreet said, notwithstanding subdued growth of the global economy, the Indian economy is thriving on robust credit expansion and an optimistic domestic demand outlook that is reflected across parameters. Despite a challenging global environment, Indian SMEs appear to be extending their competitive advantage by improving their export outlook.