Austrian regional industry surveys reveal bleak outlook in Lower Austria, modest optimism in Carinthia

A survey of 44 industrial firms in Lower Austria shows a sharply worsening situation. The IV‑NÖ industrial confidence index fell to –28.8 points in Q2 2026, with the earnings indicator at a record low of –44 points. Almost half (49 %) of respondents rate the current business climate as poor, and 82 % expect the earnings situation to stay unchanged for the next six months. The metal‑technology sector, employing over half of the surveyed workforce, drives the negative result.

In Carinthia, a separate poll of 54 companies paints a more positive picture. Forty‑three percent judge the current business climate as good, 39 % as average and only 18 % as poor. Order books are stable, and 77 % of firms plan no further staff adjustments. Nonetheless, the sector cites weak investment levels, high labour costs, and bureaucratic burdens as threats to competitiveness, calling for policy‑driven investment incentives and lower energy prices.