Manufacturing industry business leaders’ opinion of their activity improved slightly in the last quarter of 2021 but declined for the first quarter of 2022.
In its survey, the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) uses the balance of opinion to assess the general sentiment of professionals on past and future activity.
The Industrial Business Situation and Outlook Survey was conducted from December 15, 2021, to January 15, 2022. Respondents numbered 991 and were asked to submit a three-modality response: increasing, stable or decreasing.
The number of business leaders surveyed rating the overall environment in which the industry operates as stable increased.
The balance of opinion among business leaders regarding the general situation of the industrial sector jumped one point in Q4 2021 to 7% from 6% a quarter earlier.
Nevertheless, the balance of opinion regarding a possible deterioration in the sector’s situation in the first quarter of 2022 is 25%.
Manufacturing industry leaders are increasingly finding that production improved modestly between October and December 2021.
The balance of opinion stands at 9% in the fourth quarter compared to 7% in the third quarter of 2021.
On the other hand, they remain optimistic that production levels will improve in Q1 2022. The balance of opinion showing a stabilization of production rose from 6% in the last quarter of 2021 to 7% in the first quarter of 2022.
The challenges facing industry operators are, in order of concern, raw material supply problems, demand shortfalls, and financing obstacles.
When asked about the labor market situation for the first quarter of 2022, the balance of opinion fell slightly to 8% from 9% in the fourth quarter of 2021.
