In September compared with the value of the previous month, the three-months moving average of the economic sentiment indicator (ESI) increased by 1,3 points to 97,9. Confidence increased in industry, trade and construction. Contrastly, it decreased in services and among consumers it remained stable. ESI is currently lagging behind the long-term average by 5,7 points and behind the value of the corresponding period last year by 0,6 points.

In September, the confidence indicator in industry increased by 9 p.p. to the value 1. The development of the indicator was favourably influenced mainly by the increase of the expected production over the next three months and by a decrease of the finished goods stock. In September compared with the previous month, the confidence indicator in construction increased by 2,5 points to -15,0 due to more favourable evaluations of the expected employment. The current result is exceeding the long-term average by 10 points. In September compared with August, confidence indicator in trade increased by 5,7 percentage points to 22,7 as a result of positive evaluations of the current and also the expected business activities and the stock of goods. In September, the confidence indicator in services decreased after a three-month increase, its value (7) decreased by 6 percentage points, compared with August. The indicator´s development was affected by an unfavourable evaluations of the business situation and mainly the expected demand, while the demand was evaluated positively by respondents over the past three months.

In September, the consumer mood in Slovakia remained stable. The seasonally adjusted indicator of consumer confidence remained at -7,6. The pessimistic expectations of consumers regarding the general economic situation were hampered by their optimistic expectations of the financial situation of households, while their expectations of unemployment and saving perspectives of households were relatively unchanged. The respondents were less optimistic by 4,3 points than in the corresponding period last year and the current result is exceeding the long-term average.