March 29 (SeeNews) - Most company managers in Romania's services sector expect their business to shrink in the next three months, while growth is forecast in construction, retail and manufacturing, the National Statistical Office (INS) said on Monday.
Demand for services is expected to slow down in the next three months, showing a negative balance of 9%, INS said in a monthly business sentiment survey.
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Also, a relative stability is forecast in the number of employees in the services sector, with a negative balance of 1%. According to the interviewed managers in the sector, services prices will be stable in the following three months, with the positive balance here being 3%.
Last month, managers in the services sector were anticipating a drop in their business.
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 managers of construction companies expect a rise in the production volumes of their business in the next three months, with a positive balance of 23%. Further on, they expect a moderate rise in the number of employees in the construction sector and an increase in the prices of construction works, with positive balances of 8% and 17%, respectively.
Last month, managers in the construction sector were anticipating a positive evolution of their business.
The managers of retail companies expect a moderate increase in economic activity in the next three months, with a positive balance of 6%.
The volume of orders placed by trade units to the suppliers of goods will be stable, with a positive balance of 4%. Employers forecast a moderate rise in the number of employees in the next three months, with a positive balance of 12%. The managers expect that retail prices will rise in the following three months, with a positive balance of 31%.
Last month, managers in the retail sector were anticipating a positive evolution of their business.
The managers of companies operating in the manufacturing industry expect production volumes to rise moderately in the following three months, with a positive balance of 9%. Regarding the number of employees, a relative stability is expected, with a negative balance of 1%, while prices of industrial products are expected to moderately increase in the following three months, with a positive balance of 11%.
A strong increase is forecast for the manufacturing of non-metallic minerals over the next trimester, with positive balance of 41%. For the manufacturing of clothing, a drop is expected in the following three months, with a negative balance of 18%.
Last month, managers in the manufacturing sector were anticipating a positive evolution of their business.
A total of 8,987 managers of Romanian-based companies in construction, manufacturing, retail and services were interviewed in the survey.