Il Italian GDP it grew by 0,3% in the first quarter. This is confirmed by the estimate of Confindustria Study Centre which, in the monthly "Congiuntura Flash", reports that the growth achieved for 2015 has so far been 0,2%. For Confindustria analysts there are sufficient reasons to look ahead with optimism: "The coincident and anticipatory economic indicators outline an acceleration of the recovery starting from the current quarter“. To do so, however, it will be necessary to continue "on the path of reforms".
According to the Conjuncture Flash of the CSC, the industrial production it should grow by 0,3% in April and by 0,1% in May, with an increase of 0,8% in the second quarter. An increase that will be mainly driven by the manufacturing sector, whose composite PMI has been at the top since 2011.
Industrial production showed growth of 1,4% from September 2014 to March. In the same period, the manufacturing sector recorded an increase of 1,9%. Both foreign (+3,3%) and domestic turnover grew, up by 3,2% at constant prices.
To complete the picture there are the investments. Those in machinery and means of transport recorded a 2,5% growth in the first quarter of 2015 (+28,7% investments in means of transport), giving rise to a trend which, according to the CSC, should continue in the second quarter .
Investments in construction are also growing again, for the first time since 2010 (+0,5% in the first quarter of 2015), while the low degree of plant utilization continues to have a negative impact, despite the increase to 71,7% in the first quarter of the year.
A growth, the one witnessed by the CSC, which can bode well but which, at least for the president of Confindustria George Squinzi, cannot be enough: "Good, but zero point is not enough, we have to grow". This was the comment of the president of Confindustria on the sidelines of the Federlegno conference in Milan.
