BRATISLAVA, June 28, (WEBNOVINY) — The sentiment in the Slovak economy neither deteriorated nor improved in the sixth month of this year. The three-month moving average of the economic sentiment indicator (ESI) stagnated in June at the May level of 95.5 points. A more favorable evaluation of individual items from April eliminated negative assessments from June, when only the situation in trade improved. The Statistics Office reported that respondents were more optimistic than a year ago, with a 4.3-point improvement. Nonetheless, the current figure remains 2.4 points behind the long-term average.
The industry confidence indicator fell by 13.3 percentage points in June to minus five points and is now eight points below the long-term average. This simultaneously is its low since February 2010. It was affected by production decrease expected in the following three years and an expected drop in demand for industrial products.
The confidence indicator in the construction industry slipped two points from the revised figures for May to minus 44 points due to stronger pessimism regarding the level of the present-day demand. The business confidence indicator grew 2.7 percentage points from May. The confidence indicator in services dwindled by 1.3 percentage points from the previous months to 33.7 points.
Consumer confidence did not change in monthly terms, either. The consumer confidence indicator stagnated at minus 24.7 points. The influence of individual items evened out. However, the pessimism of consumers grew 7.3 percent in annualized terms.
SITA