ISSN 0379-2110 EUROPEAN ECONOMY COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS In this number: Supplement Β Capacity utilization Business and consumer in industry survey results No 5 - May 1991 Indicators of output and economic sentiment -GRAPH 1 THE MAIN POINTS IN BRIEF European Community • In the second quarter the business 1985 = climate in Europe still remains very 119 subdued. The most recent business surveys, carried out in April, indicate that growth is becoming weaker in industry and in particular in construe-on. • Ii Industrial companies consider that new orders have again declined con-s derably, and more and more of them also feel that order-books are ina sufficient. However, in most Community countries, there is less pessimism concerning export prospects. In the most recent survey, consumers displayed somewhat less confidence in their current situation. However, they are expecting their personal financial situation to improve slightly over the next twelve months. According to the most recent survey ·; results, capacity utilization by industrial firms in the Community was 82.2 % in April. This is well down on anuary, when it still stood at 83.4 %. 1 Three-month moving average. 2 See notes to Table 8. -1 Deviations from trend in %. In the second quarter, economic growth in Europe still remains very subdued.