KYIV, July 1 – The Business Activity Expectations Index (BAEI), calculated by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on a scale from zero to 100, after falling below the neutral level in May, fell in June by another 4.4 points, to 43.6 points, which close to the value at the beginning of 2024, the regulator said on Monday.

According to the press release, the main factors for pessimism for all sectors were: continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the war, rising costs due to energy shortages, rising tariffs, weak investment demand, deteriorating exchange rate expectations, unfavorable trends in the labor market, as well as a significant shortage of qualified workers.