January 18 (SeeNews) - The business confidence indicator in Macedonia's construction sector edged down 0.1 percentage points in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to the preceding quarter, the country's statistical office, Makstat, said on Thursday.
Macedonia's business confidence index in construction was 0.7% higher in the fourth quarter compared to the same quarter of 2016, the statistical data showed.
The expectations for the total orders are less favourable compared to the third quarter of 2017, while the number of employees is expected to increase during the first quarter of 2018, Makstat said.
Selling prices are expected to increase in the first quarter of 2018, the survey showed.
"The factors that had the greatest influence on limiting the improvement of the current construction activity were: increased
material expenditures with 19.8%, no demand with 15.0 %, competition in the same sector with 11.4% and increased financial
expenditures (interests) with 11.2%," the statement reads.