KOF Business Tendency Surveys from October 2018: Business Situation Hardly Changed
The KOF business situation is barely any different in October compared to the previous month. This means that the business situation of Swiss companies has not changed significantly since July of this year. Optimism on the part of companies regarding future business trends has fallen back slightly. The Swiss economy is continuing to ride high, although with slightly less of a tail wind.
Business situation according to economic sectors
The comparably stable development in the Business Situation Indicator for the Swiss private sector masks sharply differing performance trends within the various sectors of the economy. In the manufacturing sector, the Business Situation Indicator has fallen for the second month in a row. The Business Situation Indicator has also fallen back in the hotel and catering and retail trade sectors. The business situation has hardly changed in the project engineering sector. On the other hand, companies from construction as well as from the area of financial and insurance services and other services report an improvement in the business situation.
Business situation by region
In regional terms, the business situation has also developed unevenly. The business situation has improved in particular in Central Switzerland. However, it has also recovered somewhat in Ticino. The business situation in the Lake Geneva area is practically unchanged compared to October. On the other hand, it has cooled slightly in Eastern Switzerland and Espace Mittelland. The situation worsened slightly more markedly in the Zurich region and in North West Switzerland.
