ROMA (ITALPRESS) – It is still uncertainty to dominate expectations in economics by artisans and small businesses for the year just begun. 53% of entrepreneurs do not formulate forecasts but some interesting changes occur within the photograph. The optimists (23.8%) exceed pessimists and the percentage rises significantly among entrepreneurs under 40. It also improves the feeling in the Mezzogiorno while the main criticalities confirm the shortage of personnel, energy costs, unfair competition. This is what emerges from the annual survey conducted by the NAC Study Area at a sample of over 2,500 companies representing the Italian production fabric. The great uncertainty is still nourished by the international context, between war, geopolitical tensions and commercial policy by the main economic powers, the United States and China. In this scenario almost an entrepreneur out of 4 previews an increase of the Italian economy, while 23.2% expects a negative trend. The degree of uncertainty increases to more than 58% with regard to forecasts on its own enterprise. And the share of those who expect worsening results (26.1%) grows, while only 15.5% expects an improvement in company results. In more detail, one out of three companies expects a contraction of turnover, especially in the export component. Almost 40% plan to reduce investment, while only one out of six company is planning an increase in investment spending in capital goods. With regard to employment, almost 70% of the sample provides for organic stability, 20% a reduction while 10% indicates an increase in its employees. On a sectoral level, the negative forecasts characterize mainly manufacturing, largely fed by the difficulties of automotive and textile-clothing. The services are equal to positive and negative indications (approximately one out of two companies) while the positive orientation prevails in buildings, more than 30% of the sample. At the geographical level, the enterprises of the Mezzogiorno show a decided improvement of the sentiment compared to last year both in relation to the overall trend of the economy (the 35% of the total) and to its own enterprise (26%). Negative forecasts are concentrated among enterprises in central regions. Photography by age classes of entrepreneurs shows a greater pessimism to the growth of age. In decisive counter-tendenza instead the expectations of under 40 entrepreneurs: just over 30% previews a positive trend of the economic cycle while almost 40% estimates a 2026 with growing business results. “Our investigation – says CNA President Dario Costantini – indicates that uncertainty prevails this year too. However, companies with positive expectations exceed those expected to worsen their business results, thanks above all to under 40 entrepreneurs. There are also the main critical issues that are called energy costs, unfair competition and staff shortages.”.
photo: IPA Agency(ITALPRESS).
