The value of both indices remains without significant changes. Thus, index of current situation has the same value as in the previous quarter (-0.34), and value of index of business expectations continue to be close to zero (-0.08 vs -0.06 in February 2003). However, the composition of the index of business expectations has changed. The numbers of managers with negative and those with positive expectations have both decreased (from 28.1 to 21.1% and from 20.3 to 11.3%, respectively). At the same time, the share of managers expecting no change in the business climate has risen from 51.3 to 67.7%.
This tendency is observed across all industries, as well as all size and ownership groups of enterprises with the exception of firms with 501-1000 employees. Their business expectations are the most optimistic ones (with an index value of 0.17).
