Stats: Economic Mood in Slovakia Worsens in May 2025 Again

Bratislava, 29 May (TASR) - Economic mood in Slovakia in May worsened when compared to the previous month, with the Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) falling by 3 points to 96.7, the lowest figure seen in the past 19 months, the Statistics Office reported on Thursday. Confidence in the Slovak economy worsened the most among entrepreneurs engages in services. However, those engaged in trade and construction and consumers were more pessimistic as well. Only businessmen engaged in industry were more optimistic than in April. The overall figure is 7 points less optimistic than in the same period of last year, and it lags behind the long-term average by 9.3 points. After seasonal adjustments, the confidence indicator in industry increased by 0.7 points to -4 in May, mainly as a result of a drop in the inventories of finished products, chiefly in other manufacturing, repair and installation, and in the production of electric appliances. The seasonally adjusted confidence indicator in services declined by 9 points to -1.3 points, with worsening being posted in all three components of the indicator. Meanwhile, the confidence indicator in trade decreased by 1.4 points from April to stand at 10.3. The respondents evaluated negatively the increase in in inventories and expect lower business activities. Pessimistic views of future business activities prevailed among respondents in the retail sale of other household goods in specialised stores. The confidence indicator in construction fell by 0.5 points to -7.5 in May under the influence of more pessimistic evaluations regarding overall level of orders. Consumer atmosphere in Slovakia slightly worsened in May, with the indicator going down by 0.7 points from the previous month to -23.4. It lagged behind the long-term average by 3.5 points. Consumers were more pessimistic in three of the four components of the indicator. They were mainly concerned about developments in unemployment, but also about the overall economic situation and the financial situation of their households. Conversely, consumers were more optimistic about their household savings. ko