Romanian managers expect steady trends in industry, retail trade in next three months
- Relative stability of activity in manufacturing and retail trade - Growth in the number of employees in retail trade
- Price stability in manufacturing and construction
Romanian managers are expecting relative stability in activity in the manufacturing industry and retail trade in the next three months, an increase in the number of retail trade employees and price stability in the manufacturing industry and constructions, according to the findings of a trend survey published on Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
In the October 2020 business survey, the managers in the manufacturing industry expect relative production volume stability (short term balance -4%). The activities expected to increase are: cigarette and tobacco manufacturing (short term balance + 33%), manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations (short term balance + 26%), followed by manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (short term balance + 22%).
Regarding the number of employees, a moderate decrease is estimated, with the short-term balance being of -7% overall in manufacturing. For the prices of industrial products, relative stability is forecasted in the next three months (short term balance + 2%).
According to the October 2020 estimates, in the construction activity there should be a decrease in the production volume in the next three months (short term balance -17%).
Managers estimate a moderate decrease in the number of employees (short term balance -6%). Regarding the prices of construction works, their relative stability is expected (short term balance + 5%).
In the retail sector, the managers estimated for the next three months a trend of relative stability of the economic activity (short term balance -1%). The volume of orders to suppliers of goods filed by business operators should see a moderate increase (short term balance + 8%). Employers forecast an increase in the number of employees in the next three months (short term balance + 21%). The responding company managers are estimate an increase in retail prices in the next three months (short term balance + 16%).
According to October 2020 estimates, demand for services (turnover) will decline moderately in the next three months (short term balance -9%). There should be a sharp decrease in the activities of artistic creation and performance (short term balance -99%), air transport (short term balance -95%) and the activities of hotels and other accommodation facilities (short term balance -49%).
In the services sector, the number of employees is estimated to decrease (short term balance -16%). According to the managers' opinion, the selling or invoicing prices for services should tend to decrease moderately (short term balance -13%).
The short term balance as a percentage reflects the difference between the percentage of those who expect the positive outcome of the phenomenon and the percentage of those who expect the negative outcome.
INS says the short term balance reflected by the survey indicates the perception of business managers on the dynamics of a phenomenon that should not be mistaken for the rate of increase or decrease of any statistical indicator produced by INS.