Hard times, strong business leaders: despite the challenges, optimism for the future persists!

After a quick sentiment survey in September, the quick analysis of the OPTEN-Bridge Budapest Future Image Matrix was completed again, which examined the responses of 100 progressive domestic business leaders. On a scale of 10, the interviewed business owners and senior managers rate their current situation at 6.9 points and their future situation at 7.2 points. Company managers working in industry are currently the most positive, but they see the greatest potential for growth in the service sector. The fact that there is trouble in the construction industry is indisputable. For the first time, feelings turned negative in this sector. Here, both the present and the future vision dropped to an average value of 4.8 points. It seems that the black clouds over the construction industry do not want to disperse for the time being.

Dr. Hajnalka Csorbai, OPTEN’s strategic director and head of the analysis, recalls in her summary that at the end of October last year, the mood monitor started with a current feeling of well-being of 5.77 points and a vision of the future of 5.65 points. This indicated little positive sentiment and deteriorating economic prospects in all areas. However, the survey at the end of January 2023 brought a significant change in this, and the current feeling of well-being climbed to an average value of 7 points, and future prospects to an average value of 7.2 points. Therefore, company managers were more optimistic about spring. Compared to this, the May data reported stagnation. The average value of the current situation assessment was still 7 in May, and the sense of vision looking ahead for three months also remained at the slightly more optimistic average value of 7.2.

The same can now be repeated in the light of the September data: the 100 owners and company managers surveyed do not perceive any change in the economy, but the positive mood still characterizes the respondents. Regarding the third quarter of this year, it can also be said that the feeling of well-being does not significantly tilt in either a negative or positive direction. It seems that the business leaders have gotten used to it, and their ability to adapt to the circumstances rather than their confidence in the future has increased.