All analysis from category Macro comment
Macro comment
Unemployment in March: seasonal decline in unemployment
The share of unemployed persons in the 15-64 population fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.9% in March. This is an increase of 0.2 percentage point year-on-year. There were 289,000 jobseekers registered at the labour offices, 7,000 fewer than in February. After seasonal adjustment, we estimate that the jobless rate stagnated at 3.7%.
Macro comment
Foreign trade in February: growth in car exports
The balance of foreign trade ended in a surplus of CZK 34.6 billion in February. This is a year-on-year improvement by a very respectable CZK 19.7 billion. Exports grew sharply in February, by 10.2% year-on-year. Imports did not keep pace with the 4.9% year-on-year rate. The year-on-year advantage of one working day compared to February 2023 also did its part. On a seasonally adjusted basis, exports rose by 8.6% month-on-month and imports by 4.4%.
Macro comment
Industry in February: slow growth thanks to the automotive industry
Industrial production rose year-on-year in February after two months. However, certain sectors have shown a multi-month decline and the recovery in production in these sectors can be expected to be very modest.
Macro comment
Retail sales in February: sales growth continues
Maloobchodní tržby v únoru v meziročním srovnání rostly třetí měsíc v řadě a spotřeba domácností se stabilně zvyšuje v souladu s poklesem inflace na začátku roku.
Macro comment
PMI in March: weak external demand
Business conditions were below the neutral 50-point level indicating a decline in business activity for the twenty-second month in a row in March. On a month-on-month basis, there is improvement for the fourth month in a row, thanks to a slowdown in the rate of decline in manufacturing.
