Hohey

Munich – The economic crisis makes for shrinking profits in the medium. Some 42 percent of companies expect 2009 with a yield loss, as the credit agency Creditreform announced on Wednesday in Munich.

Nevertheless, the business situation improved since the spring, the revenue forecast to increase slightly. Compared to the fall of 2008, however, the sentiment indicator fell by almost half, then the representative survey took place just before the outbreak of the financial crisis. Currently, the value is in the field of multi-year average.

Elf
DISPLAY
Percent of companies assess the current business situation as bad (2008: 5 percent), every third company, however, is satisfied (2008: 47 percent). Approximately one fifth calculated with a profit growth this year, as many expect in the next six months of rising sales. A quarter of respondents had not yet crossed the economic low and feared a negative sales trend.

Last fall, had 19 percent of SMEs reported a decline in their revenues – 2009, there are already 37 percent. Every fourth company recorded a sales increase despite the recession. Especially the construction sector benefited from the government stimulus packages.

The hardest hit of the crisis, the manufacturing sector. While a year ago, still good one in three companies in the sector recorded a sales increase, this proportion dropped to just under one fifth now. Almost half had even declines to accept (2008: 22 percent). Particularly affected was the automotive and mechanical engineering.

Good one fifth of all the company has released in the past six months staff. For the future, some 17 percent expect layoffs. However, every ninth company plans to hire staff, especially in service industries.