The survey on the Economic Environment for Companies in the 1st quarter of 2021, of 31 May, which Lusa had access to, presents the Confidence Indicator (CI) of the sectors of tourism, extractive industry, commerce, communication, construction, manufacturing industry and transport.
The document underlines that most of the sectors under analysis presented an unfavorable situation for companies, with a trend of positive evolution.
"Confidence Indicators for the tourism and manufacturing sectors maintained the positive trend of the previous quarter, but remained below the average for the series. The business environment continued to be unfavorable for both sectors", indicates the survey.
With regard to tourism, the CI maintained the upward trend of the previous quarter, but still remained below the average of the series, having evolved negatively in relation to the same period of the previous year, "the economic situation of companies thus remaining unfavorable" .
The upward trend of the indicator was due to the good behavior of all the variables that compose it, but, compared to the same quarter of the previous year, more companies registered limitations in their activities.
"Insufficient demand, financial difficulties and difficulties in finding qualified personnel were the main constraints. Excessive bureaucracy and excessively high sales prices also constrained companies in the sector", points out the survey.
In the communication and transport sectors, the CI bucked the downward trend of the previous quarters, but remained below the series average, with an unfavorable situation for companies in both sectors.
In the communications sector, the IC bucked the downward trend that had plagued it for four consecutive quarters, however, it evolved negatively compared to the same period of the previous year and remained below the series' average.
The positive trend of the indicator was due to the current activity and the prospects for demand for services, with fewer companies experiencing constraints when developing their actions, compared to the same period in 2020, as regards activity limitations.
"Low demand and financial difficulties were the main constraints. Competition, difficulties in obtaining bank credit and the high level of interest rates also hampered the activities of companies in the sector", underlines the document.
In transport, the IC evolved negatively compared to the same quarter of the previous year and remained below the average, meaning that the situation continued to be unfavorable to transport companies.
"The positive trend of the indicator resulted from the increase in the variables of current activity and activity perspectives", refers to the survey, which also underlines the increase in constraints faced by a greater number of companies in the development of their actions, compared to the same period of the previous year.
"Insufficient demand, financial difficulties, excessive bureaucracy and state regulations were the main constraints. Competition and difficulties in obtaining bank credits similarly constrained companies in the sector", he describes.
For companies in the commerce sector, the economic situation is favorable, as the CI maintained the upward trend of previous quarters, evolved positively in relation to the same period of the previous year and started to stand above the average.
For four consecutive quarters, the indicator has maintained its upward trend in the commerce sector, evolving positively in relation to the same quarter of the previous year, starting to stand above the average of the series.
The positive behavior of the indicator resulted from the favorable evolution of all the variables that compose it and, in the opinion of entrepreneurs, fewer companies had difficulties in carrying out their activities compared to the same period of the previous year.
"Excess bureaucracy, insufficient demand were the main limitations. The stockouts, financial difficulties and sales prices that were too high, also limited commercial companies", highlights, however, the analysis.
Regarding the construction sector, the survey revealed that entrepreneurs remain optimistic about their activities, as the indicator maintained the positive trend of the previous quarter, evolved favorably in relation to the same period of the previous year and started to be above the average of the series, but even so, the economic situation of construction companies remained unfavorable.
The trend and favorable evolution of the indicator resulted from the good behavior of all the variables that compose it and, with regard to limitations, fewer companies observed constraints when carrying out their activities in relation to the same period of the previous year.
As in the other sectors analyzed, insufficient demand, high interest rates and deteriorating sales prospects were the main constraints, as well as the lack of materials and difficulties in obtaining bank loans.
In turn, businessmen in the manufacturing industry maintained the signs of optimism of the previous quarter, taking into account that the CI showed an upward trend and evolved positively in relation to the same period of the previous year, although the economic situation continued to be unfavorable for companies in the sector.
"The positive evolution of the indicator, in relation to the same period of the previous year, resulted from the growth of the variable perspectives of production and employment in the next three months", with entrepreneurs having found that fewer companies registered constraints when developing their activities, compared to the same period in 2020 .
According to the sector's operators, the lack of raw material, frequent mechanical breakdowns in equipment, financial difficulties, lack of specialized labor, water and energy were the main constraints in the sector.
In the extractive industry, the IC maintained the positive trend of the previous quarter, due to the increase in production, evolved favorably in relation to the same quarter of the previous year and started to stand above the average for the series, but the situation for companies remained unfavorable.
"As for the limitations, more companies had constraints when developing their activities in relation to the same period in 2020", with financial difficulties, lack of qualified labor, insufficient equipment and frequent mechanical breakdowns being the main obstacles.
The survey concluded that "the economic climate remained unfavorable in the 1st quarter of 2021, despite the trend and positive evolution of the Indicator compared to the same period of the previous year".
