In Australia, the average number of days business to settle accounts has risen to a seven-year high of 56.5. 

Slow payers leading to hot collars

"On another note it is also noted by Dun and Bradstreet that an early indicator of consumer stress is the non payment of mobile phone bills. Apparently mobile phone bill default is rising rapidly and this suggests stress at the individual level which then suggest stress at the mortgage level and so on."

"Mar 4 2009 Nearly a third (29 per cent) of small and medium sized companies (SMEs) reported cash flow problems in the second half of 2008, with 70 per cent citing late payment of invoices as the primary factor, according to research by Lloyds TSB Commercial."