According with the results from the October 2018 Investment Survey (with a surveying period between the 1st October 2018 and the 17th January 2019), the business investment in nominal terms is expected to grow by 4.4% in 2019. The results of this survey also point to a 1.9% increase in investment in 2018, which represents a downward revision comparing with the perspectives revealed in the previous survey (growth rate of 5.1%), especially in large firms (500 or more workers).
Among the investment objectives, from 2018 to 2019, the relative weights of the streamline production investment and investment for other purposes are expected to increase, while relative weights of investment associated with the extension of the production capacity and the replacement investment are projected to decrease. Despite the reduction of its relative weight, the replacement investment is the most mentioned objective in both years.
The main limitative factor for business investment identified by entrepreneurs in both years was the deterioration of the sales perspectives. Between 2018 and 2019, the relative weights of the lack of self-funding capacity and the uncertainty about the investment profitability are expected to increase, while the relative importance of the difficulty in obtaining bank loans and the shortage of qualified labour force should decrease.