The rise in the index is primarily attributed to the industry and construction sectors, with services and consumer confidence improving more gradually, while only retail trade saw a decline after the holiday period. On the household side, there is less pessimism, although the issue of high prices continues to burden expectations.
As highlighted in the same survey, “overall, the economy is showing a positive trend, as growth rates do not exhibit any downward trends, remaining above the European average.
At the same time, inflation is decreasing and is expected to be lower this year than in the previous one, while unemployment continues to fall, positively contributing to the real income of households. However, the income level and the economy as a whole still remain relatively low, and it will only rise more quickly after the deep crisis decline if further interventions are made to improve the efficiency of the public sector and markets.
There are also sources of uncertainty in the external environment, as Europe seeks direction, while the adoption of economic policy measures by the new president in the United States that challenge the data of recent decades in international trade could cause disruptions that will also affect our economy. The combination of external trends and the selection of domestic policy directions will co-shape the economic climate in the coming months.”
More specifically:
Industry: The negative balance of estimates for orders and demand weakened slightly, estimates for inventories remained unchanged, while positive forecasts for production in the coming months were significantly strengthened.
Construction: Negative forecasts for the work program of businesses were mildly alleviated, while positive forecasts for employment saw a significant improvement.
Retail Trade: Estimates for current sales were slightly improved, with inventory levels rising mildly and short-term sales forecasts dropping sharply.
Services: Positive estimates for the current business situation were reinforced, while estimates for current demand weakened slightly, and forecasts for the short-term evolution of demand increased significantly.
Consumer Confidence: Negative household forecasts for the country’s economic situation softened, as did those for their personal economic situation. At the same time, forecasts for major purchases declined slightly, while the intention to save weakened.
