Slovakia’s industrial confidence indicator improved to -11.7 in September 2026, up 3.3 points from a more than three-year low of -15 in August. The overall rise was mainly supported by a shift to positive expectations for industrial production growth (4 vs -7), led by the manufacture of wood and paper products (4 vs -31) and of food, beverages, and tobacco (4 vs -5).
At the same time, perceptions of stock levels of finished goods became slightly more favorable (24 vs 21), and the assessment of current order books grew less negative (-15 vs -17). The current level of export orders was unchanged at -18.
In contrast, firms reported a deterioration in current production (-8 vs 15) and a weakening in employment expectations (-5 vs 5). The outlook for selling prices also softened (6 vs 8).
