BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 9
Trend:
The business activity index in Kazakhstan, based on the survey results, decreased in January 2022, Director of the Monetary Policy Department under the country’s National Bank Zhandos Shaimardanov said, Trend reports citing the bank.
According to Shaimardanov, this figure amounted to 50 against 50.6 in December 2021.
The decrease is due to the indicator decreasing in construction sector to 45.7 (in December 2021 - 51.3), as well as in the service sector to 49.4 (in December 2021 - 50.4), which was due to decrease in new orders and employment level. At the same time, the indicator in the industrial sector grew, amounting to 51.8 (in December 2021 - 50.7).
In regional terms, in January business activity improved in seven regions, and deteriorated in 10 regions. The highest level of business activity was noted in the North Kazakhstan (60.7) and Turkestan (54.4) regions, while the lowest level - in the Kyzylorda region (44.1), Almaty city (44.7), and Akmola region (45.9). In the Kyzylorda region and Almaty, business activity decreased in all three sectors of the economy.
In the reporting month, the assessment of the current business conditions was negative: the balance of responses between positive and negative assessments was -2.3.
Meanwhile, enterprises noted a decrease in demand: the balance of responses was negative for the first time since February 2021, amounting to -5.9. The evaluation of access to communications also was negative for the first time since January 2021, amounting to -2.8.
The sole improved assessment, although remaining negative (-2.3), was noted only for business protection issues. In January this year, negative assessments prevailed for all factors except access to finance/credit.
The optimism of enterprises regarding future business conditions for the next six months slightly increased: the assessment of future conditions was 17.9 (in December 2021 - 15.2), at the same time, the assessment of current conditions decreased to -2.3 (against -0.1 in December 2021).
As a result, the aggregate business climate index for the economy slightly decreased to 7.5 (7.7 in December 2021).
In January 2022, 459 enterprises, including 217 operating in services, 175 in industry and 67 in construction, took part in the survey.