In March, the seasonally adjusted confidence indicator in services  increased again, after the two-month decrease, its value (-9) rose by 22,7 percentage points (p.p.) compared with February. The indicator´s development was affected mainly by more optimistic evaluations of all its three components, while the expected demand was evaluated the most favourably by the respondents.

Compared with the last month´s survey, the business situation over the past three months improved, the business balance (of seasonally adjusted data) increased by 21 points and reached the level -24. An improvement of the business situation is felt by 12 % enterprises (by 9 p.p. more than in the survey conducted in February), a deterioration was reported by 27% of respondents (by 20 p.p. less), 61 % of enterprises (by 11 p.p. more) had a stable development. A greater satisfaction was expressed mainly in accommodation and food services, financial and insurance activities, as well as in the field of real estates; a worsened situation compared with February was indicated mostly in the sector of information and communication, a milder also in arts, entertainment and recreation and in administrative and support service activities. Compared with the last month´s survey, the demand for the services over the past three months (-21) increased by 17 points. An increase of the demand was felt mostly in accommodation and food services and in financial and insurance activities, though, an increased interest was recorded also in the field of arts, entertainment and recreation, in transportation and storage, as well as in administrative and support service activities; the most significant decrease of the demand was registered by subjects in the field of information and communication. The expected development of the demand for services over the next three months was evaluated more positively by respondents, the seasonally adjusted business balance (18) increased by 30 points. A higher demand is expected in all sectors, mainly in financial and insurance activities, in information and communication, as well as in administrative and support service activities; the only exception is transportation and storage, where a lower demand is expected. 48% of enterprises decreased the number of their employees over the past three months (by 20 p.p. more than in February), 12  % of enterprises (by 2 p.p. less) reported an increase and 40 % of enterprises had a stable development (by 18 p.p. less). The final seasonally adjusted balance (-29) decreased by 10 p.p. compared with the previous month, indicating a deterioration of the employment situation. The number of employees decreased in transportation and storage, in accommodation and food service activities and in financial and insurance activities; a higher number of employees was registered mainly in arts, entertainment and recreation and in other service activities. In the development of the employment over the next three months, a further deterioration of the situation is expected, the business balance (-38) decreased by 3 points, compared with the previous month. A lower number of employees is assumed mainly in accommodation and food services and in administrative and support service activities; a higher number of employees is considered in arts, entertainment and recreation, as well as in other service activities. Compared with the previous period, the business balance of the expected prices of services over the next three months (0) decreased by 3 points while a decrease of prices is considered by 2 % of enterprises, 3 % of enterprises expect an increase of prices and 95 % of enterprises assume a stable development.