Economic sentiment continues to brighten according to KOF Barometer
Keystone-SDA
Expectations for the Swiss economy improved again in December. Following the slight increase in the previous month, the KOF Economic Barometer is rising again somewhat more strongly and has now risen for the fourth month in a row.
Specifically, the economic barometer compiled by the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at the Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich climbed by 1.7 points to 103.4 points, as reported by the KOF on Tuesday. Sentiment had already improved in each of the previous three months.
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The estimates for the December figure, which were compiled by the news agency AWP, were lower across the board at 100.5 to 102.8 points.
According to the KOF Institute, the bundle of indicators included in the economic barometer reflected the positive developments at the end of the year. The indicators for the manufacturing sector had risen particularly sharply.
Within the manufacturing sector, the majority of indicators for the various aspects of business activity pointed upwards.
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In particular, the indicators for employment prospects, intermediate product stocks and the general business situation increased. In contrast, the indicators for production activity and the order situation were under pressure.
Weaker consumer and foreign demand
On the demand side, both consumer demand and foreign demand indicators declined.
In the sub-sectors of the manufacturing industry, the metal, wood, glass, stone and earth sectors performed better, while the food and beverage industry and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries fared less well.
The KOF Economic Barometer is a so-called leading composite indicator. It is based on a large number of indicators and is intended to show how the Swiss economy is likely to develop in the near future.
Adapted from German by AI/jdp
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