Serbia: Economic sentiment records worst reading since October 2023 in February
Latest reading: Economic sentiment fell to 96.8 in February from January’s 101.4. February’s result marked the weakest sentiment since October 2023. The deterioration came on the heels of the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic in late January amid heightened anti-government protests. Consequently, the index dipped below the long-term average of 100, pointing to a muted near-term outlook for the economy.
The headline print reflected declining sentiment in the industrial, construction and services sectors. Moreover, consumer confidence weakened in February. That said, sentiment in the retail sector improved in the surveyed month.
Regarding indicators that are not used to calculate the index, employment expectations weakened, while the economic uncertainty index fell in February.