The March edition of Market Watch, Banca IFIS's free observatory which collects the main data relating to macroeconomic trends and financial markets, confirms the positive dynamics of the market sectors analyzed in which Banca IFIS is present. Here are the main findings:
– Macro trend: ISTAT and EUROCOIN indicators predict positive economic trends for the first quarter of 2017, confirmed by the growth of investments and exports and the reduction of bankruptcies and bankruptcy proceedings. In the first few months of 2017, inflation accelerated by +1,5% but due to cyclical effects.
– Factoring: In January 2017, turnover increased by approximately 30% over the same period of 2016. In the fourth quarter of 2016, the impact of factoring turnover on GDP was 15,5%, the highest in the last 2 years.
– Medium and long-term loans close 2016 with a flat trend while a moderate recovery is expected in 2017 – between 0,5% and 1,5%. Estimated a decline in short-term loans due to the expected improvement in working capital conditions of companies.
– NPLs: Strong growth in total volumes of net bank NPLs (bad loans netted by writedowns) from November to December 2016 (+1,94%). The total volumes of gross bank NPLs also grew by +0,9%, with a strong concentration of amounts on corporate denominations.
– M&A: The first months of 2017 open with 13 transactions in general of medium/small amounts. The financial sector is the one that generated the largest number of transactions.
– Leasing: 2017 opens with a positive trend in leasing contracts, both in terms of number of contracts (+8,4%) and financed volumes (+12,2%), already almost in line with the forecasts of the year (+15%).
– Retail collection: December 2016 collection growing for both consumer households and businesses. For households, liquidity in current accounts is growing, confirming the low climate of confidence. This month's observatory closes with a focus on logistics and transport which reveals a double-digit increase in turnover and the centrality of e-commerce as a growth driver for this reader.
