Business Cycle is Waning. Business Cycle Report of September 2019

The weakness of the global economy is dampening the Austrian business cycle. Export growth slowed noticeably in the second quarter, and GDP growth eased to +0.3 percent compared to the previous quarter. Private household consumption, however, continued to increase and supported overall growth. The prospects for the Austrian economy stabilised recently. According to the WIFO-Konjunkturtest (business cycle survey), company assessments brightened somewhat in August, especially in the manufacturing sector. The recovery on the labour market is coming to a halt, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stagnated in August. The inflation rate fell slightly to 1.4 percent in July.