Serbian businessmen are optimistic about economic trends in the third quarter of this year, expecting growth in turnover and exports, as well as stable investments and employment, according to a July survey by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce on business activity in the second quarter and expectations in the third quarter.
The results showed that more than half of the respondents achieved a growth in turnover in the second quarter, and almost a third had the same level compared to the previous one, while the turnover of only 15% of the respondents decreased.
As PKS announced, in the third quarter, 85 percent of them expect the same or higher turnover compared to the second quarter.
Businessmen show strong optimism for the next quarter in terms of export trends – 39 percent expect growth, and 48 percent unchanged export activity compared to the previous quarter, the statement said.
In the second quarter of 2021, 48 percent of the surveyed companies invested, and compared to the realized investments in the previous quarter, 91 percent of companies made the same or increased level of investments.
Businessmen’s expectations for the third quarter are also positive – 84% of respondents plan the same or a larger volume of investments, mostly in equipment, construction facilities and land.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced that employment is stable, jobs have been preserved during the health and economic crisis, and the business community does not expect a reduction in the number of workers in the third quarter.
Most of the surveyed companies in the second quarter of 2021 used the capacities between 50 and 80 percent, and what can be a challenge in the medium term is the liquidity problem.
According to the PKS survey, 48 percent of the surveyed companies indicated a lack of funds for optimal business financing, and the liquidity problem is, as expected, most pronounced in the field of tourism and catering.
The initial projection of the NBS for 2021 is a GDP growth of about six percent, and judging by the intensity of economic development in the first half of the current year, this projection will most likely be reached, the PKS said in a statement.
The survey conducted by PKS was conducted on a sample of 1,385 companies that employed about 290,000 workers in July, and in the second quarter achieved exports worth 3.1 billion euros, Danas reports.
