29.04.2025

Economic Assessments Remain Sceptical

Results of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest (Business Cycle Survey) of April 2025
The results of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest (business cycle survey) show a slight deterioration in business assessments of the economy in April. At –7.1 points (seasonally adjusted), the WIFO Business Climate Index was 0.4 points lower than in March. Despite improvements, the economic picture is still dominated by the weak industrial economy. In April, however, sentiment in the retail and service sectors deteriorated again slightly. The overall economic situation assessments and economic expectations remain below average.

The index of current situation assessments for the overall economy fell by 0.2 points in April and remained below the zero line at –6.6 points. In the manufacturing sector, which is particularly important for the economy, the situation index rose slightly (+1.7 points), but at –18.5 points was still well below the zero line that separates positive from negative situation assessments. In the construction industry, the situation index gained 2.0 points and remained in the sceptical range at –2.7 points. In the services sector, on the other hand, the situation index fell by 0.7 points and remained just in negative territory at –1.1 points. The situation index also fell in the retail sector (–2.1 points) and was just in negative territory at –0.5 points.

The index of business expectations for the economy overall remained almost stable in April (+0.1 points), but at –7.0 points was still below the zero line that separates negative from positive economic expectations. In the retail sector, the expectations index lost 3.9 points and remained in the sceptical economic expectations range at –17.6 points. In the services sector, the expectations index gained 0.6 points, but remained below the zero line at –2.6 points. There was a slight improvement in the construction industry (+0.5 points). At –3.1 points, the expectations index remained below the zero line. In manufacturing, the expectations index rose in April (+0.9 points) but remained in the sceptical economic expectations range at –11.6 points: despite improvements, the majority of business situation and production expectations remained in negative territory.

WIFO-Konjunkturtest
29.04.2025
Results of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest (Business Cycle Survey) of April 2025
Finalization: April 2025
Contractor project: European Commission
Specialist publication: WIFO-Konjunkturtest
Dr. Werner Hölzl
Industrial, Innovation and International Economics
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