Compared to Europe in general, firm pension schemes are a relatively rare phenomenon in Austria. Whereas on a European average, every second worker is included in a form of firm pension scheme, in Austria only one in six dependently employed workers can lay claims on a company pension. The WIFO...

Die Konjunkturumfrage des WIFO zeigt eine neuerliche Eintrübung der Erwartungen für die Produktionstätigkeit in den kommenden Monaten. Die Einschätzung der aktuellen Auftragslage durch die Unternehmen hat sich jedoch gegenüber den Vormonaten kaum verändert. Die Befragung erfolgte im...

The stormy years following introduction of the single market appear to be over at last. In spite of the fact that the premium level in the main segments was cut for good, insurers were for the first time able to impose substantial increases in premium rates in 2001, a development which is...

In 2002, private insurers saw their revenues from premiums grow in alignment with GDP at current prices. Due to price increases, property and liability insurance once again expanded its traditional dominance. For 2003, revenues from premiums are expected to rise slightly above the growth rate of...

Die Unternehmensumfragen sind im Euro-Raum von zunehmendem Optimismus geprägt. Die vorliegenden Wirtschaftsdaten spiegeln aber noch keine Besserung der Konjunktur wider. Offenbar rechnen die Unternehmen mit einem Anziehen der Exportnachfrage, da von der Binnennachfrage kaum expansive Impulse...

In 2000, private insurance companies achieved a premium growth similar to their successful performance in the previous year. All insurance categories once again recorded a boost in their sales. Life insurance continues to be the sector's main engine. At a growth rate of one eighth, the share of...

In 2004, there will be three working days more in Austria than in 2003, due to the leap year and the particular situation of holidays in the calendar. An analysis of quarterly GDP data using a seasonal time series model suggests, that three additional working days will boost annual output by 0.1...

Following the boom in 2000, economic growth in Austria slowed down steadily and even turned negative in the third and fourth quarter of 2001. A fall in the seasonally adjusted real GDP over two successive quarters is the conventional definition of a recession in the economic debate. More...