In August compared with July, after the two-month´s growth, the confidence indicator in services maintained its positive trend, its value (13) increased by 11 percentage points (p.p.). The indicator´s development was affected by favourable evaluations of all its three components.

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 7 points and reached the level -2. An improvement of the business situation is felt by 16 % of respondents (by 5 % more than in July), a deterioration was felt by 19 % of enterprises (by 2 % less) and 65 % of enterprises (by 3 % less) reported a stable development. Positive trend was reflected mainly in financial and insurance activities and in other service activities, slightly also in transportation and storage, an unfavourable situation was mainly in information and communication, as well as in professional, scientific and technical activities. Compared with the previous month´s survey, the demand for the services over the past three months (10) increased by 21 points. An improvement of the demand was reported most significantly in financial and insurance activities, a lower demand was recorded mainly in administration and support service activities and in information and communication. The expected development of the demand for services over the next three months was also evaluated positively, the seasonally adjusted business balance (31) increased by 5 points. A higher demand is expected in financial and insurance activities, in professional, scientific and technical activities, as well as in other service activities, a lower demand is assumed in accommodation and food service activities, in arts, entertainment and recreation and in the field of real estates. 40 % of enterprises decreased the number of their employees over the past three months (by 2 p.p. more than in the survey conducted in July), 16 % of enterprises stated an increase (by 1 p.p. more), and 44 % of enterprises reported a stable development (by 3 p.p. less). Compared with the last month, the final seasonally adjusted balance (-24) decreased by 1 point, indicating a persistence of the slightly deteriorating employment situation. Over the past three months, the number of the employed decreased in transportation and storage, in financial and insurance activities, the number of employees increased, on the contrary, mainly in accommodation and food service activities, in information and communication and in other service activities. A deterioration is assumed in the development of the employment over the next three months, the business balance (-5) decreased by 6 points, compared with the survey conducted in July. A lower number of employees is planned almost in all groups, however the most significant drop is assumed in accommodation and food service activities, on the contrary, a higher number of employees is planned in the field of real estates. Compared with the previous period, the business balance of the expected prices of services over the next three months (8) increased by 8 points while the majority of enterprises (92 %) expect a stable development. 6 % of enterprises consider a price increase (similarly as in July), only 2 % of enterprises assume a price decrease (by 12 % less).