After the first trimester, 2023 continues with a slow decrease in the main indicators; the forecasts for the rest of the year show stability in the expectations of the respondents, both for the domestic market and for foreign markets.

Orders’ index

The machine orders’ index collected in the second quarter of 2023 recorded a decrease of 6.3% compared to the same period of the previous year, for an index value of 128.7 (Base 2015=100). This result was due to the decline in both domestic market (-12.3%) and foreign markets (-4.4%). It should be noted, however, that inflation continues to play a significant role.

In the first half of 2023, total orders decreased by 2.9% compared to January-June 2022: -31.8% on domestic orders, +12% on foreign orders.

Turnover (value)

In the second quarter of 2023, turnover (in terms of value) decreased by 8.2% compared to the same period of the previous year (in current terms), to a value of 749 million euros. In the first six months of 2023, net sales decreased by 1.7% compared to the same period of the previous year, to a value of €1,376 million.

Turnover forecast

The economic forecasts on turnover trends for the third quarter of 2023 indicate stability for 66.7% of respondents and growth for 33.3%; there are no pessimistic answers.

Exports’ forecast

The forecasts for the percentage share of exports in turnover for the third quarter of 2023 are, for most respondents, stable (63.6%), followed by growth (36.4%). Again, there are no pessimistic answers.

As for the forecasts of orders, stability prevails, both for domestic market and foreign markets. For the third quarter of 2023, forecasts on the trend of orders acquired on the domestic market indicate stability for 58.3% of respondents; decrease for 16.7% of respondents, and 25% indicate growth responses.

Also, for foreign markets, the answers are, predominantly, stable (63.6%); this is followed by the responses of growth, with 27.3% of the responses, and decrease with a share of 9.1%.

The balance between optimists and pessimists remains decidedly positive.