Inconsistent Economic Development with Low Momentum

The index of current assessments for the economy as a whole in May (excluding seasonal fluctuations) remains 1.5 points below the value of the previous month but remains at a confident level of 12.7 points. In the construction industry, the index remained virtually unchanged (+0.2 points) and remains at a very optimistic level of 30.7 points. In the service industries, the index loses ground significantly (–3.2 points), but at 12.7 points continues to signal a good service economy. In the economically important manufacturing sector, the situation index is regaining some ground (+0.8 points) after the significant declines of the past few months and, at 7.6 points, continues to be in the range of satisfactory economic assessments.

The business expectations index fell slightly (–0.6 points) to 9.3 points. In the construction industry, the expectation index gained 3.8 points, while the index value remained within confident ranges at 14.2 points. The expectation index also rises in the manufacturing sector (+1.1 points) but continues to be just above zero at 2.5 points. In the service sectors, on the other hand, the expectation index fell (–2.4 points). The index score of 12.6 points, however, continues to signal confident economic expectations. Thus, heterogeneous developments across the sectors remain evident in May.

Details on all sectors in the current economic survey can be found here.