Investment is Expected to Increase in Manufacturing and Decrease in Construction in 2016. Results of the WIFO Spring 2016 Investment Survey

According to the results of WIFO's Spring 2016 Investment Survey, investment in manufacturing (in current prices) will increase by 25 percent in 2016. The increase varies considerably by firm sizes and depends largely on investment plans by large businesses whereas small and medium sized enterprises expect a decrease. However, the increase is unlikely to occur as expected since large firms tend to revise their optimistic investment plans in the course of the year. The planned increase in investment can be observed in all industries. The largest rise is expected in the food and beverages and investment goods sectors. Investment in housing construction should rise by 11 percent while the other construction industries foresee a decline by 20 percent. Overall, investment in the construction sector is envisaged to fall by 4 percent.