June data on trade of goods was mainly due to rising prices and higher turnover of trade goods that were not manufactured in Slovenia, as well as higher turnover (imports and exports) of energy products. June’s exports of goods (EUR 5.3 billion; more than EUR 1 billion above our estimate) were 57% higher y-o-y, while imports (EUR 4.8 billion) were 40% higher. Trade balance was positive in June. It amounted to EUR 0.5 billion, while a deficit was noted in all the previous five months of the year. This was due to higher exports of pharmaceutical products in Slovenia (part of them were stocked in Slovenia for some months), which influenced increased imports in the previous months. Exports of goods in the H1 were almost a third higher y-o-y (it amounted to EUR 25.5 billion), while imports increased by almost half (to EUR 27.7 billion). The deficit in goods trade in this period amounted to EUR 2.2 billion, and the export-import coverage was 92.0%.

US GDP shrank by 0.9% on an annualized rate in Q2 (this is not comparable to the year-over-year change as we know it in Europe), while it was down 1.6% in Q1. The drop was the result of reduced inventories (mainly at general department stores and motor vehicle dealers), investment in housing construction, lower federal and state consumption (lower needs due to the end of pandemic). Lower stocks had an impact of as much as 2 p.p. on lower GDP (than it would otherwise be), and housing investments for 0.7 p.p. in addition. Analysts had expected growth of 0.4% of GDP. On the other hand, household consumption increased, as did exports, which are actually key components of quality economic growth.

The economic climate index worsened as expected in July (it fell by 1.7 index point to -1.1) and is now slightly below the long-term average, which reflects the slowdown of economic dynamics, and above all negative expectations of consumers and partly of manufacturing sector regarding business conditions in the coming months. The common denominator of these challenges is the high prices of energy products and raw materials, which reduce the disposable income of households. In manufacturing, the added concern is greater due to the danger of reductions in natural gas flows.

Slovenia’s industrial production increased by 0.8% in May (as in the euro area), which was more than our estimate (+0.2%) and faster than in April (+0.4%). Although this data is less reliable, it nevertheless shows that solid data (data showing revenues, production) in the first half of the year has not deteriorated significantly. Production in manufacturing increased by only 0.2%. Sector of electricity, gas and steam supply contributed the most to the monthly growth, as it increased production by 5.1%. In mining, production fell by 7.7%, which mainly reflects volatile changes in the amount of mined lignite at Premogovnik Velenje. On a yearly basis, industrial production in the first five months was higher by 3.5%, of which in mining by 23% and in manufacturing by 5.1%. In the supply of electricity, gas and steam, it was lower by one-sixth, which reflects poor hydrology and thus low level of electricity production in hydro power plants.

J.P. Morgan Global Composite rose as expected in June (from 51.3 in May to 53.5), largely driven by an increase in manufacturing in China as the bulk of containment measures were lifted in Shanghai. PMI ex. China dropped from 53.9 to 53.1. World production thus increased in June after the decline in April and May. Growth in the service sector was the highest in the last four months. Growth was faster in business services and consumer goods manufacturing, while it moderated in consumer services. In Brazil, India and China, the value of the indicator was the highest (among the 14 large world economies), while its value strengthened the most in Japan, the United Kingdom and Brazil. The Chinese and Russian economies are recovering, while growth has slowed in all other economies. New orders rose for the slowest time since July 2020, while new export orders contracted for the fourth consecutive month. Source: S&P Global

Exports and imports of services increased by about a third y-o-y in the first four months of 2022. Among the most important groups of services, exports of travel (+EUR 390 m), transport (+EUR 205 m), other business services (+EUR 95 m; intellectual services) and telecommunications, computer and information services (+EUR 64 m) increased the most. Exports of construction services remained unchanged.

First estimates on the performance of private sector in the Q1 2022 showed that companies were not able to fully transfer higher prices of raw materials and energy into final prices, as gross margin decreased by 3 percentage points q-o-q to 22% (measured as share of value added in sales). It was at this level in 2018. In mining (-8 p. p.), energy (-10 p. p.) and in service activities (finance, professional, scientific and technical activities, healthcare), the declines were the largest. In manufacturing and trade, two sectors that otherwise generate the highest nominal added value and employ the most people, the gross margin fell by 1 p. p. Accounting for this fact it may sound odd how Slovenia’s was able to record positive GDP growth in the Q1 2022. This can be explained by high sales growth, which stems from price growth, which rose nominally much more than value added. But despite that real value added increased, albeit at lower pace. Despite the decline in gross margin, the share of labor costs in value added fell further (to 57% from 58% in the previous quarter), which means that labor costs grew more slowly than value added. The mentioned data does not provide other, quantitatively useful data. Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

The dynamics of trade in goods remained at a high level in April as well. Contrary to expectations, it even intensified. April exports of goods (EUR 4.2 billion; our estimate: EUR 3.9 billion) were almost EUR 1 billion higher than in the same month last year, while imports (EUR 4.7 billion) were EUR 1.4 billion higher. Year-on-year, exports of goods grew by 29% (24% in the first four months) and imports by 43% (48% in the first four months). The trade balance (difference between exports and imports of goods) remained negative in April (-EUR 570 million) and increased to EUR 2.2 billion in the first four months of the current year, which is extremely high relative to GDP (12% of GDP). In the coming months, we expect a slowdown in private consumption growth, as well as the effect of higher exports due to higher prices of industrial products, so we estimate that the monthly deficit will decrease dynamically. Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

As expected, the economic climate in Slovenia decreased slightly in May (-1.4 percentage points compared to April, our estimate: -1.5 p.p.). Change was negatively affected by fall in in manufacturing confidence (-0.9 p.p.) and consumer sentiment (-0.7 p.p.). The effects of services and construction indicators were positive (each contributed +0.2 p.p.). The confidence indicator in retail trade had no effect. Compared to May 2021, the value of the economic climate indicator was lower by 2.8 p.p. Compared to the long-term average, optimism was highest in construction (+36 p.p.), retail trade (+16 p.p.) and services (+8 p.p.). In manufacturing it remained higher, but only by 2 p.p.

Slovenia's GDP in the Q1 2022 was 0.8% higher in real terms than in the previous quarter (seasonally and calendar adjusted), which is a significant slowdown compared to the growth we have been accustomed to since the beginning of 2021. Nevertheless, growth can be described as extremely high, as it followed a 5.3% quarterly growth in the Q4 2021, and such growth is usually followed by a decline. Growth of 0.8% was also higher than in the EU-27 (+0.4%) and four times higher than our estimate (+0.2%). Quarterly growth was high in many European countries (Romania: + 5.2%, Portugal: + 2.6%, Austria: + 2.5%, Poland: + 2.4%, Latvia: + 2.1%) and that shows the March invasion of Ukraine has not yet had a major economic impact. The key reason was the strong growth in the European service sector.