GKI economic sentiment index begins 2026 with a small decline

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2026/02-03

The GKI economic sentiment index dropped almost 3 points. GKI’s business confidence index decreased by nearly 4 points in January compared to the previous month. This essentially brought it back to the level seen in November last year. The industrial confidence index plunged by almost 5 points, while the trade and service indices reduced by 3 points each. At the same time, the construction index rose by 3 points, albeit from a fairly low level. The employment indicator – which shows the overall staffing expectations of businesses – remained unchanged in the first month of 2026 compared to December 2025. In the next three months 9% of businesses plan to increase their workforce, while 12% plan to reduce it. In December 2025 the GKI consumer confidence index climbed to a two-year high and remained unchanged in January