28/7/2011 00:00:00
According to a study published in the Supplement to the Statistical Bulletin Bank of Italy, in 2010, employment decreased by 1.4%. The decline is in line with the plans formulated by the companies earlier this year. It was strongest in the industry (-2.2%) than services (-0.6%) and, although attenuated, the industry would continue also in 2011 (-1% in the forecast). The turnover in real terms increased by 1.1%. The growth of companies in the industrial sector (+3.5%), export-oriented ones in particular, was offset by the decline in the tertiary sector (-1.1%). Compared to 2009 the share of firms in profit (from 53 to 57.8%) increased while that of loss-making enterprises decreased (from 30.5 to 25.5%). The majority of companies report an increase in self-financing (for the first time in two years). It turned slightly increased recourse to bank credit. The majority of companies expect debt deteriorating between the first and the second half of 2010 (19% of firms report a decline, compared with 7.7% indicating an improvement).
