Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Similar estimates indicate optimistic forecasts of respondents for the next 2-3 months with a high level of uncertainty regarding external factors affecting business development in the country.

The Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CEIR) conducted a September survey of enterprises to assess the business climate in Uzbekistan. 1003 enterprises took part in the survey.

The survey was conducted in two directions:

- qualitative assessment of the current state of the business;

- expectation of entrepreneurs for the next 2-3 months.

Analysis of the state of the business climate in Uzbekistan

The indicator of the current state of business amounted to 33 points (a decrease of 3 points compared to the previous month), which characterizes the moderately positive sentiments of entrepreneurs regarding the current state of their business.

Out of 1003 enterprises, 37% rated the current state of business as “good” (38% in August), 49% as “satisfactory” (46% in August) and only 14% - “bad” (16% in August).

The demand for goods / services "improved" in 39% of enterprises (34% in August), "Has not changed" - 42% (32% in August), "worsened" in 19% (34% in August). The number of employees “increased” in 23% of enterprises (11% in August), “did not change” in 63% (72% in August), “decreased” in 14% (17% in August).

The indicator of expectations of business development prospects for the next 2-3 months was 66 points (an increase of 3 points), that is, the expectations of entrepreneurs about the prospects for their business development for the next 2-3 months are positive. (Picture 1)

Of the surveyed enterprises, 68% believe that their business prospects will “improve” (64% in August), 28% said they will “not change” (33% in August) and only 3% believe that it will “get worse” (3% - August).

It is expected that in the next 2-3 months the demand for goods / services will “improve” for 64% of enterprises, “will not change” for 30%, and only 6% believe that demand will “worsen”.

In the coming months, 46% of enterprises expect an “increase” in the number of employees, 49% answered that the number of employees “will not change”, and 5% expect a “decrease”. 16% of enterprises are predicted to "increase" prices for their goods / services, 36% are sure that prices for their products "will not change", 4% of those asked answered that prices "will decrease", 45% of respondents said that they did not know ...

The business climate indicator was 49 points (unchanged), i.e. the state of the business climate in Uzbekistan is assessed as good.

The relationship between the values of the current situation and expectations means that the country's economy in the next 2-3 months will experience accelerated development.

Analysts note that the assessment of similar indicators of the business climate for the Eurozone (-1.19), Turkey (5), South Korea (68) and for China (1.5) showed insignificant increases of 0.15 points, 1 point, 2 points and 0.5 points respectively; the indicator for Russia (-5) remained unchanged.