Business leaders were not optimistic about the number of employees in their structures in the 4th quarter of 2023, as well as in the 1st quarter of 2024, according to the "Survey on the situation and prospects of industrial enterprises for the 4th quarter of 2023" published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) on January 26. The survey, conducted between November 15, 2023 and January 10, 2024 on a sample of 1,013 business leaders, shows that the balance of opinion among business leaders on the trend in the number of employees in their structures fell to - 4% in the 4th quarter of 2023 (compared with -1% in the 3rd quarter), continuing the downward trend that marked the whole of 2023. This trend will also continue in the 1st quarter of 2024. The balance of opinion is defined as "the difference between the proportion of respondents expressing a positive opinion and the proportion expressing a negative opinion". The INS survey highlights the stability of the balance of opinion regarding the general situation of the industrial sector in the 4th quarter of 2023, compared to the 3rd quarter of the same year. The INS forecasts relative stability in the balance of expectations for the general situation in the 1st quarter of 2024, at 30%, compared with 33% in the final quarter of the previous year. The survey showed stability in the balance of opinions regarding the level of industrial production in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with the third quarter of the same year. Expectations for industrial production in the first quarter of 2024 were similarly stable compared with the final quarter of 2023. Managers' assessment of industrial production in the final quarter of 2023 improved for the chemical industry and the machinery and electrical industry, while a notable decline was recorded for the agro-food industry and the textile and clothing industry. The balance of opinions remained stable for construction materials, ceramics and glass and miscellaneous manufacturing. Looking ahead to the first qua rter of the current year, the balance of industry managers' views on industrial production is expected to improve in the food industry, while remaining stable in the machinery and equipment, chemicals and manufacturing sectors. However, a slight deterioration in the balance of opinions is expected for output in the building materials, ceramics and glass, and textiles, clothing and leather industries. The share of enterprises reporting difficulties increased in the final quarter of 2022, reaching 54%, compared with 51.5% in the previous quarter. Raw material supply, marketing difficulties and falling demand remain the main obstacles. The survey also shows that the balance of opinion regarding demand for industrial products remained stable at 10% in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with 8% in the previous quarter. A decline is projected for the first quarter of 2024. The same observation was made with regard to the balance of opinions regarding the external demand for industrial products in the fourth q uarter of 2023, compared to the third quarter of the same year, with a decrease in the balance of opinions regarding this aspect expected for the first quarter of 2024. Managers expect raw material prices to rise in the fourth quarter of the year, while they expect them to fall in the first quarter of 2024. However, the business managers surveyed were optimistic about the development of socks of the main products manufactured by their units, with a slight increase in the balance of opinions on this aspect for both the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse