March 28 (SeeNews) - Company managers active in Romania's retail sector expect a decline in their business in the next three months, while growth is forecast in services, construction and manufacturing, the National Statistical Office (INS) said on Monday.
Managers of retail companies expect a drop in economic activity in the next three months, with a negative balance of 10%, INS said in a monthly business sentiment survey for March.
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The balance is calculated as the difference between the percentage of respondents who expect positive developments and the percentage of those whose expectations are negative.
The volume of orders placed by trade units to the suppliers of goods is expected to be stable - the balance is 3%. Employers expect moderate growth in the number of employees in the next three months, with a positive balance of 7%. The managers expect that retail prices will rise strongly, with a balance of 57%.
Construction companies expect a moderate rise in their production volumes in the next three months, with a negative balance of 17%.The managers in the construction sector anticipate the number of employees to be stable, with a balance of 4% . Prices of construction works are expected to grow strongly, with a positive balance of 59%.
The managers of companies operating in the manufacturing industry expect moderate growth in production volumes, with a 7% balance, during the next three months. A strong increase is expected in manufacturing of coke and refined petroleum products, with a positive balance of 39%. Regarding the number of employees, stability is expected, with a positive balance of 1%, while prices of industrial products are expected to grow, with a positive balance of 51%.
Demand for services is expected to be stable in the next three months, showing a positive balance of 4%, according to the survey. Also, a relative stability in the number of employees is forecast, with a negative balance of 3%. Most of the interviewed managers in the sector expect that prices in services will grow in the following three months, with the balance here being 31%.
A total of 8,987 managers of Romania-based companies operating in construction, manufacturing, retail and services were interviewed in the survey.
In February, business sentiment was negative in retail, and positive in construction, services and manufacturing, according to earlier INS data.
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