All analysis from category Macro comment
Macro comment
Unemployment in January: A seasonal and structural issue
The labor market is tightening. And it's not just because of the season. The unemployment rate rose to 5.1 percent in January, the highest since January 2017. The number of job seekers registered with the labor office rose to 378,547, which is more than 58,000 people more than in January last year.
Macro comment
Industrial production in December: Significant increase in orders
Economic growth in recent months has been driven by services and construction, with industry also contributing at the end of the year. In December, industrial production rose by 0.4 percent month-on-month and 3.8 percent year-on-year. However, the year-on-year increase in new orders of 24.9 percent is particularly noteworthy.
Macro comment
Retail in December: A slower end to the year
Domestic demand, particularly growing consumer spending, was the main source of GDP growth throughout last year. However, it took a breather at the end of the year. Retail sales fell by 0.1 percent month-on-month in December, growing by 1.8 percent year-on-year, which is the slowest growth in the last two years.
Macro comment
Consumer prices in January: Lowest inflation in a decade
The Czech economy is in excellent shape at the start of this year. GDP is growing and inflation is slowing down. The consumer price index rose by 0.9 percent month-on-month in January, while year-on-year inflation slowed to 1.6 percent. The last time it was lower was almost ten years ago, in October 2016 to be precise.
Macro comment
GDP in Q4: Slight slowdown at the end of the year
The pace of economic growth slowed slightly at the end of the year, but in the context of recent years and current conditions in the global economy, the current development of the Czech economy can be assessed positively. In the fourth quarter of last year, GDP increased by 0.5 percent compared to the previous quarter and was 2.4 percent higher year-on-year. For 2025 as a whole, GDP grew by 2.5 percent.
