Jakarta – Local exporting companies are mostly optimistic that their export sales to the Asia-Pacific region and Europe will increase over the next 12 months, but they are somewhat less upbeat about the United States and African markets, according to a survey.

The survey, which was jointly carried out by consultancy firm Castle Asia and US delivery firm DHL, put exporters' confidence index at 31.3 for the next 12 months.

The index's figure is equal to the percentage of exporters expecting an increase in export sales minus the percentage of exporters expecting a decrease in export sales. The confidence index was at 29.8 for the second quarter of the year, which has just passed.

The survey was carried out on 245 respondents, 72 percent of which export less than US$10 million per quarter. It was conducted in April.

The survey said the major factors affecting export sales were the cost of raw materials and economic, political conditions in the country.

Regarding the performance of companies in the second quarter, the survey said 47 percent of exporting companies projected their exports would be higher than those in the first quarter.