In February 2023, there was an improvement in both current and future consumer senti-ment moods compared to the previous month. The current consumer confidence indica-tor, synthetically describing the current trends in individual consumption, was -36.0 which was by 2.1 p.p. higher in relation to last month.

In February the assessments of general business climate indicator are at a slightly higher or similar level as in January in all presented kinds of activities. In all areas it is below the long-term mean . In majority of researched areas “diagnostic” components deteriorate, whereas “forecast” ones improve in all sectors.

In January 2023 retail sales at constant prices were by 0.3% lower than the year before (against an increase of 10.6% in January 2022). Compared with December 2022 a decrease by 23.1% in retail sales was recorded.

Acording to preliminary data construction and assembly production (in constant prices) carried out carried out domestically by construction enterprises employing more than 9 persons was in January 2023 by 2.4% higher than a year before (an increase of 20.8% the year before) and by 55.1% lower compared with December 2022 (a decrease of 56.5% the year before).

In January 2023, there were more dwellings completed than the year before. Whereas 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 decreased.

According to preliminary data, in January 2023 the prices of construction and assembly production in comparison with the corresponding month of the previous year increased by 13.1%, and in comparison with December 2022 remained at the similar level to that recorded a month ago.

In January 2023, sold production of industry was by 2.6% higher than in January 2022, when an increase was recorded by 18.0% as compared to the corresponding period of of the previous year, whereas in comparison with December 2022, it decreased by 2.5%.