Slovak industrial firms say March output up

Nearly half of Slovakia's major industrial companies saw a rise in production in March, a survey conducted by the Slovak Statistical Office (ŠÚSR) revealed on April 28. The poll, conducted among 315 companies which account for 69% of the country's industrial output, said 43% saw a rise in production, while 23% registered a decline and 34% experienced no change. Industrial production rose a real 4.2% annually in March, compared to 3.5% growth in February. The companies cited difficulties in obtaining financing, low domestic and foreign demand, competition from abroad and the unstable economic environment as the main barriers to further rises in output. However, around 47% of the companies polled said they expected a production increase in the May-July period, while 15% said their production would fall in the next three months.