Aragonese companies enjoy their highest level of confidence in two years

Business expectations in the Aragon region are at their highest level in the last two years, according to the Business Confidence Indicator (ICE) for the second quarter of 2007 prepared by the Zaragoza Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Thus, the Aragon Economic Index (ICE-Aragón) for the second quarter rose to 12,4, an improvement over the 6,9 recorded in the first quarter. The evolution of these indicators suggests that economic activity continues to be very dynamic in Aragon.
One of the key reasons for this improvement in the Confidence Index is the positive outlook for job creation: nearly 10% of Aragonese companies expect to increase the number of employees on contract. 33% anticipate an increase in their revenue, and 54,8% expect it to remain the same, compared to 12,2% who foresee a decrease. Although there has been a slight decline in expectations regarding sales prices and exports, the overall sentiment is optimistic. Even the rise in interest rates has not negatively impacted access to financing.
By sector, trade and services have slightly higher expectations for the second quarter (12,8) than industry and construction (10,6). The greater confidence in the services sector is due to a perceived improvement in employment, investment, and especially revenue. In industry, export prospects remain positive, although rising product prices pose a competitiveness challenge.
The ICE (Institute for Business Competitiveness) of the Chamber of Commerce is studying the opinions of 502 Aragonese companies in the industrial, commercial, and service sectors. The analysis of this data sheds light on turnover, sales prices, exports, employment, and investment, as well as the factors limiting business activity.
Among the latter, increased competition and weak demand stand out; both factors have hampered business activity during the first quarter of 2007. In addition, a shortage of qualified personnel affected almost a third of the companies.

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