Slovakia - In January 2011, the economic sentiment indicator (ESI) has improved by 1,9 to 97,1 percentage points. The indicator development has been affected by an increase of confidence in industry and in trade. The economic sentiment indicator has increased by 12,3 points, year-on-year, and it is still behind the long-term average by 0,8 p.p..

The confidence indicator in industry has continued increasing in January, there has been a 0,7 percentage points increase to 14. The indicator increase has been affected by positive development of the demand and of the expected production over the next three months.

The confidence indicator in construction has decreased by 3 points to minus 40 in January 2011 compared with December 2011 and it is still by 16 percentage points under the long-term average. Mostly a decrease in the expected employment over the next three months has affected the indicator development.

The confidence indicator in trade has not change too much compared with December, when its value has increased by 0,3 point. Positive evaluations of the business balance over the past three months were affected by a decrease of the stock by 2 points and have suppressed a negative influence of more negative evaluations of the expected business situation.

The confidence indicator in services has remained at the level of the previous months (26,3) in January. The indicator development has been favourably affected by positive evaluations of the business situation, but respondents have evaluated the current and also expected demand more negatively.

In January 2011, the consumer mood has continued deteriorating in Slovakia. The consumer´s confidence indicator has decreased by 3,1 points to minus 26,6 compared with the previous month as a result of increasing fears of population in all four components (expected development of unemployment, business situation in country, financial situation in family and savings in household). Compared with the situation a year ago, it has been by 4,5 points more pessimistic.

/Statistical Office of the SR/