Slight Improvement in Economic Sentiment at the Beginning of the Year
Results of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest Quarterly Survey of January 2023
The results of the WIFO-Konjunkturtest (business cycle survey) in January show a slight improvement in economic assessments compared with the previous quarter. However, economic expectations remained subdued in all sectors. Capacity utilisation stayed at an average level. In the aggregate economy, as in the previous quarters, the "shortage of labour force" was the most important obstacle to business activity, with "insufficient demand" continuing to gain slightly in importance. Although business uncertainty has decreased, it is still high and reflects considerable economic risks. Despite declines, sale price expectations also remained above average.