One Can Do Anything With Stats!

So we are growing, but not growing? I was left wondering after reading this article on the Common Sense Advisory, which starts with a positive title "Translation and Localization Industry Grows Amidst Declining Business Confidence Levels" and then says that:

(a) The Industry's fourth-quarter 2008 was flat (no decrease or increase) so the market looks healthy from that perspective (Geez, we are undemanding these days)

AND

(b) the quarter-to-quarter and year-over-year comparisons of the translation and localization industry business confidence levels show declines. These drops represented incremental decreases from quarter to quarter over 2008 that, in aggregate, add up to a significant decrease for the year in business confidence.

So we are flatly decreasing, or decreasingly flat, or just down the creek?

When you look closer at numbers, they are scary:

VOLUME OF DEMAND: Anticipated demand for q1-09 dropped from 56 points to -5. Expected volume of demand for the next three months plummeted from 60 to –12 points.

BUSINESS SITUATION: Among suppliers, the net-balance for their present situation dropped from 29 to eight, with the financial situation going from 29 to 12. The six-month outlook declined from 57 to 20 points.