Update of the Medium-term Forecast of the Austrian Economy 2019 to 2023

The global economy reached its business cycle peak in 2018 and growth is likely to slow in the coming years. Over the forecast period 2019-2023, the Austrian economy is expected to grow by 1.6 percent p.a. (2014-2018 +1.8 percent p.a.), slightly stronger than the euro area average. The income tax relief for private households granted by the family bonus will support consumer demand in 2019 and especially in 2020. Over the forecast period, private consumption is expected to grow at an annual rate of 1.6 percent (2014-2018 +1.0 percent p.a.). Employment will expand faster than labour supply up to 2020 as a result of the economic conditions and the unemployment rate will remain at 7.3 percent. However, from 2021 labour supply will again grow faster than demand, so that the unemployment rate will rise to 7.5 percent by the end of the forecasting period. Inflationary pressure will remain moderate in the medium term, and the positive inflation differential with the euro area should continue to narrow, but not reverse. WIFO expects an average consumer price inflation rate of 1.8 percent p.a. Based on the projected economic outlook and the assumed economic policy conditions, the overall fiscal balance will remain positive over the forecasting period and even improve slightly. As a result, the public debt ratio (general government debt as a percentage of nominal GDP) will fall by around 17½ percentage points as compared with 2018 to below 57 percent by 2023.