Heightened Uncertainty Weighing Upon Activity. Economic Outlook for 2012 and 2013

After a surprisingly robust expansion early this year, the outlook for the Austrian economy is increasingly clouded. Demand and output have slackened markedly, even if activity is holding up well given the recession in the euro area. Leading indicators point to sluggish economic growth in the near future. Against this background, GDP is projected to increase by 0.6 percent this year, slightly accelerating to 1.0 percent in 2013. In spite of new jobs being created, unemployment will continue to head up.