Little Reaction of Unemployment to Buoyant Activity

Demand and output remained upward bound until late summer. While export growth lost a bit of momentum, private consumption has gained strength. Manufacturing orders from abroad are coming at a slower pace, yet production is still rising 6 percent year-on-year, with the so far lagging consumer goods catching up. Household confidence still being high the income gains from the tax reform are gradually being transformed into higher spending. Production in industry is approaching physical capacity limits, but labour supply proves very elastic. In spite of an increase in employment of 52,600 year-to-year in October, unemployment went down by only 3,000 people. Consumer price inflation has stabilized at an annual rate of just over 2½ percent.