Retail sector keeps growing, mixed performance of industry in CEE

The year-to-date performance of the retail and industry sectors vary. In general, retail sector have recovered visibly. In 2023, in most of the CEE countries the retail sector contracted, while in 2024 the year-to-date performance is in black with average retail sales growth ranging from 2.8% y/y in Poland to as much as 8% y/y in Romania. Increase in purchasing power of households support higher level of spending. Industrial output growth, on the other hand, declined in year-to-date terms in Czechia, Croatia, Hungary and Romania. The biggest contraction of the industry sector took place in Hungary. On the other hand, Poland, Slovakia and Serbia saw the industrial output growing this year.