Cautious Economic Sentiment at the Start of the Year
Results of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest (Business Cycle Survey) of January 2026
The results of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest (business cycle survey) show a slight decline in business sentiment in January. The WIFO Business Climate Index stood at –0.4 points (seasonally adjusted), 0.9 points below the December figure. Overall, both assessments of the current situation and economic expectations declined slightly. However, there are slight differences across sectors. The downturn is mainly due to the deterioration in economic sentiment in the service sector and industry. Despite a slight improvement in assessments of the current situation, economic sentiment in the construction industry remains subdued, while it improved in the retail sector.