In March 2023, there was an improvement in both current and future consumer sentiment moods compared to the previous month. The current consumer confidence indicator, syn-thetically describing the current trends in individual consumption, was -35.6 which was by 0.4 p.p. higher in relation to last month.

Procurement prices of basic agricultural products decreased in January 2023 in comparison with the previous month (by 1.4%) while they increased (by 31.2%) compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.

In March the assessments of general business climate indicator in all of presented kinds of activities are at a higher or similar level as compared to the ones presented in February this year. In all areas it is below the long-term mean . In majority of the areas, the level of "diagnostic" components is similar as in February, while the "prognostic" ones improve.

In February 2023 retail sales at constant prices were by 5.0% lower than the year before (against an increase of 8.1% in February 2022). Compared with January 2023 a decline by 3.6% in retail sales was recorded. In the period of January-February 2023 sales decreased y/y by 1.9% (in 2021 a growth of 9.0%).

According to preliminary data construction and assembly production (in constant prices) carried out domestically by construction enterprises employing more than 9 persons was in February 2023 by 6.6% higher than in the same period in 2022 (an increase of 21.2% in the corresponding period of 2022) and by 10.6% higher compared with January 2023 (an increase of 5.8% in the corresponding period of 2022).

In the first two months of 2023, there were less dwellings completed than the year before. The number of dwellings for which permits have been granted or which have been registered with a construction project as well as dwellings in which construction has begun also decreased.

According to preliminary data, in February 2023 the prices of construction and assembly production in comparison with the corresponding month of the previous year increased by 12.9%, and in comparison with January 2023 by 0.6%.

In February 2023, sold production of industry was by 1.2% lower than in February 2022, when an increase was recorded by 17.3% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, whereas in comparison with January 2023, it increased by 0.4%. In the period January-February of 2023, sold production of industry was by 0.3% higher than in the corresponding period of 2022 which saw an increase by 17.3% as compared to the corresponding period of 2021.