8
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1988
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SECTOR.
INDUSTRIES
WITHIN THE MANUFACTURING
FIRMS IN ALL EXPERIENCED AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE THIRD QUARTER.
THE EXTENT OF IMPROVEMENT WAS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT IN THE CASE OF THE FOOD, BEVERAGE AND TOBACCO, PRINTING, AND ELECTRICAL MACHINERY AND APPLIANCES INDUSTRIES.
AS REGARDS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, FIRMS IN THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY EXPECT A DECLINE IN BUSINESS WHEREAS AN IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IS ANTICIPATED BY FIRMS IN THE WEARING APPAREL, PRINTING, ELECTRONICS AND WATCHES AND CLOCKS INDUSTRIES.
FOR FIRMS IN THE REMAINING INDUSTRIES, THEY GENERALLY EXPECT TO MAINTAIN A STABLE LEVEL OF BUSINESS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.
FIRMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR EXPERIENCED A FURTHER UPTREND IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER AND EXPECT THE BUSINESS SITUATION ΤΟ REMAIN FAVOURABLE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.
AS FOR THE DISTRIBUTIVE AND CATERING TRADES SECTOR, EXPERIENCES VARIED AMONG FIRMS IN DIFFERENT TRADES IN THE THIRD QUARTER, DUE MAINLY TO SEASONAL FACTORS.
WHILE FIRMS IN THE WHOLESALE RETAIL AND IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES AND RESTAURANTS BUSINESS REPORTED AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION, A SEASONAL DECLINE IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER WAS EXPERIENCED BY HOTELS.
REGARDING BUSINESS PROSPECTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER, FIRMS IN THE DISTRIBUTIVE AND CATERING TRADES SECTOR EXPECT A FAVOURABLE BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. IN PARTICULAR, A SEASONAL UPTREND IN BUSINESS IS ANTICIPATED BY HOTELS.
IN THE OTHER SERVICES SECTOR, FIRMS IN DIFFERENT TRADE CATEGORIES (1.E. TRANSPORT, STORAGE AND COMMUNICATION, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED SERVICES, BANKS AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS SERVICES) CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE A FAVOURABLE BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE THIRD QUARTER.
THEY GENERALLY EXPECT A MODERATE IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BANKS WHICH EXPECT A RELATIVELY STABLE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
ABOUT 1, 000 FIRMS FROM VARIOUS INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES, FORMING A CROSS-SECTION OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY AND WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS EXPERIENCES AND EXPECTATIONS. THE SURVEY ALSO COVERED BUSINESS PROBLEMS FACED BY
FIRMS.
AS REGARDS PROBLEMS FACED BY FIRMS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, THE PROBLEM OF LABOUR SHORTAGE REMAINED MARKED IN THE THIRD QUARTER AND THIS SITUATION IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.
/IN ADDITION,