Businessmen from the service sector in Rio de Janeiro maintain their confidence in the economic recovery and business growth in the next three months. This is what the research carried out by the Fecomércio Institute for Research and Analysis (IFec RJ), of the Federation of Commerce of Rio de Janeiro (Fecomércio), between the 2nd and 6th of May, points out. According to the survey, 82% of respondents believe that the situation will improve or that it will improve a lot. This percentage is higher than that recorded in the previous survey, when it was 79.5%.
The survey also indicated that only 13.3% expect the situation to remain the same. Those who estimate that their business situation will get worse or worse, reached 4.7%.
Also according to the survey, 31.4% of respondents consider that their business outlook has improved or has improved a lot in the last three months. The number surpasses that of the last poll, which stood at 28.3%. For 31.6%, the situation got worse or worse and 37% indicated that it remained the same.
Insufficient demand was identified as the main factor limiting business. Altogether 45.2% of the entrepreneurs indicated this difficulty. Following are the financial restrictions for 45% of respondents. The third limiting factor for business is the lack of manpower for 13.5% of entrepreneurs. The lack of space and/or equipment is a problem for 12.3% of respondents.]
Demand
For 38.5% of those interviewed, the demand for goods and services from their companies has decreased or has decreased significantly in the last three months. Looking ahead to the next three months, 66.9% expect demand to increase or increase significantly. Which indicates some stability, since in the last survey in April it reached 66%.
“Only 8.1% think that demand will decrease or decrease significantly in the next three months, while 25% of respondents think it will stabilize”, added the IFec RJ.
jobs
Regarding jobs in the last three months, the survey showed that 12.8% of entrepreneurs said that the number of employees had decreased a lot and 19% that it had decreased. Only 9.2% of them revealed some kind of increase in hiring in the past three months.
Stocks
The supply of inventories in the last three months was the same as planned for 54.1%, but 39.8% reported that it was below the plan made. Above the expected occurred only for 6.1%.
default
The index of companies that were not in default in the last three months dropped in comparison with the previous survey. While in April it reached 51.4%, in May it reached 48.9%. Delinquent or very delinquent companies account for 29.2%. The five main expenses of those who had debts are those associated with suppliers (31.1%), rent (29%), commercial banks and electricity (28.3%) and federal taxes (25.4%).
Fecomércio RJ
The federation brings together 59 employers’ unions, business leaders, experts and consultants. The intention is to encourage business development in the trade of goods, services and tourism in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
In total, the entity represents more than 321 thousand establishments, which, according to Fecomércio, account for 2/3 of the state’s economic activity and 68% of the establishments in Rio de Janeiro. “Generating more than 1.5 million formal jobs, which are equivalent to 60% of formal jobs in the state”, he added.
