Hesitant Improvement in Economic Assessments at the Start of the Year

In the Austrian economy as a whole, economic sentiment improved slightly compared with the previous quarter, but remained subdued. In construction, economic assessments declined again, while in the manufacturing sector they remained predominantly sceptical despite an increase. Business uncertainty decreased compared with October, but remained high. Capacity utilisation improved in manufacturing and services, but declined in the construction industry. At the beginning of 2026, "insufficient demand" was still the most frequently cited obstacle to business activity in all sectors of the economy.