OREANDA-NEWS. On 06 August 2008 was announced, that the Latvian entepreneurs are rather sceptical about the increase of country’s gross domestic product (GDP) next year, admitting that even the decrease of GDP in 2009 is very possible, according to the results of the business activity research Parex Index, conducted in July 2008. Responding to the question: “How possible is the negative increse (ie. decrease in absolute figures) of Latvian gross domestic product in 2009?”, 41,5% of the 750 entepreneurs surveyed believed that it is possible. Out of these 11,2% underlined that the decrease of GDP is very possible, whilst 33,9% felt that it is quite possible.

How possible is the negative increse (ie. decrease in absolute figures) of Latvian gross domestic product in 2009?

Only 5,3% of the respondents believe that the decrease of GDP in 2009 is impossible. 13,1%, in their turn, indicate that the decrease of GDP is quite impossible, while 11,2% consider it very impossible. A comparatively large number of entepreneurs – 25,3% - found it difficult to specify the answer to the given question.

Analysing the results of the poll by location, 20,5% of the entepreneurs based in rural municipalities and countryside belive that the decrease of GDP in 2009 is “very possible”. The same sentiment is shared by 16,9% of entepreneurs based closer to Riga, 15,4% of enterprises with foreign capital and 15,3% of manufacturing enterprises.

Most optimistic views about the increase of GDP next year are voiced by entepreneurs from the Latgale region with 9,5% of entepreneurs ruling out the decrease of GDP. Quite similar opinion is shared by 8,3% of the Zemgale region entepreneurs, who believe that the GDP will not decrease next year. Nevertheless, it is the Zemgale region, where a comparatively large percent of entepreneurs – 43,8% - see the decrease of GDP in 2009 as quite possible.