Company leaders have become more optimistic in October, while the public has become more pessimistic

In October, the GKI economic sentiment index remained at -7.1 points, unchanged from September, reflecting differing views between business leaders and the public. While business leaders are more optimistic about the economy, consumer confidence has declined. The consumer confidence index fell from -3.8 to -6.1, although this is an improvement compared to last year's -25.5. The business confidence index improved slightly from -8.3 to -7.4, still below July's level. Employment expectations remain stable, with 14% of companies planning to reduce staff. Concerns about economic predictability have increased among businesses, and public sentiment regarding the economic outlook for the next year has weakened significantly.