Kazakhstan’s business activity continued to improve in August
Kazakhstan’s Business Activity Index (BAI) continued to improve reaching 51.4 (50.9 in July) in August, according to the results of a monthly survey of enterprises conducted by the National Bank of Kazakhstan.
The improvement in business activity was observed across all sectors. The mining industry saw the most significant improvement, with the index rising to 52.2 in August from 49.8 in July, due to a noticeable increase in new orders. In other sectors, indicators also showed slight improvements compared to the previous month: production increased to 51.8 (from 51.7 in July), services to 51.1 (from 51.0), and construction to 50.6 (from 50.4), according to the National Bank’s press service on September 4.
Business activity improved in ten regions and declined in eight. The highest index value was in the Abai Region (58.4), while the lowest was in the Aktobe Region (44.6).
Although the assessment of current business conditions decreased, optimism about future business conditions improved. Enterprises reported continued growth in demand for their products and services, though the growth rate has slightly slowed.
Demand increased in all sectors in August, particularly in mining and construction. However, the growth rate of demand slowed in the service and production sectors, with a notable slowdown in production beginning in June.
Respondents expressed concerns about business protection issues, while other factors such as the tax burden, infrastructure, and access to finance/loans were assessed more neutrally.
The Business Activity Indicator (BAI) provides insights into the state of the economy in the real sector, tracking economic trends and business cycle phases. The survey collects responses from enterprises regarding changes in economic indicators and future expectations.(Source:astanatimes)
