Industrial companies in Liechtenstein are still optimistic now the new year is underway. Overall, they expect an increase in order intakes and an improvement in capacity utilization, while the metals industry is more optimistic than the non-metals industry and the construction sector.

In the latest edition of its quarterly economic survey, the Office for Statistics (AS) analyzed the responses of 44 companies with a total of 10,162 employees, according to a statement. The participating companies represent 70 per cent of the industrial sector, or 30 per cent of the Liechtenstein economy. 
The results show that 28 per cent of the companies consider the overall business climate to be good, while 69 per cent describe it as satisfactory. In the near future, they broadly expect “an increase in order intakes and an improvement in machine and facility utilization”, write the analysts at AS.     
In the metals industry, companies continue to forecast an increase in head count. However, the mood in the non-metals industry is “hesitant”, continue the analysts. In the final quarter of 2019, the industry experienced no significant change in order intakes and production capacity utilization. For the first quarter of 2020, the companies in this sector expect stable development.  
For companies in the construction sector, the final quarter of 2019 brought a decrease in order intakes and a worsening in revenue, according to AS. In the ongoing first quarter of 2020, these companies nevertheless expect “stabilization in revenue” and an “increase in order intakes”.   

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