According to the survey conducted in December 2017 among the Italian firms with 50 or more employees, opinions regarding the current economic situation and expectations for the next three months remain positive, although less so than those expressed in the last survey.
Inflation expectations are still moderate over all time horizons, in line with the recent trend and expectations regarding firms' own prices. Both service firms and those in industry excluding construction report an increase in demand for their products in the next three months, while in the construction industry the opposite is true. Expectations for the next three months regarding firms' operating conditions appear slightly less favourable, mainly owing to assessments coming from the construction sector.
Investment plans for 2018 point to an increase in expenditure with respect to last year. Employment expectations indicate a further, albeit limited, increase in industry excluding construction and services; in the construction sector the outlook suggests a worsening.
