Rising Energy Prices Due to the Iran War are Dampening Economic Sentiment
Results of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest Quarterly Survey of April 2026
The impact of the Iran war on energy prices has recently weighed on the economic climate in Austria. The indicators of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest (business cycle survey) deteriorated quarter-over-quarter. Economic expectations, in particular, declined significantly. Business uncertainty rose compared to January and is now at an elevated level. Capacity utilisation improved but remained below average. The "insufficient demand" was also the most frequently cited obstacle to business activity across all economic sectors in April 2026.