The Business Tendency Survey for June 2024 revealed that the percentage of businesses in Israel that consider security concerns as a significant impediment has decreased. This was particularly noticeable in the retail sector, where there was a slower decline compared to other sectors. By the end of Q2/2024, 11% of businesses in the retail sector reported security concerns as a major obstacle, while only 9% did so at the beginning of the year.
In contrast, there was an increase in the proportion of businesses facing challenges in penetrating new markets in hi-tech production. In Q2 2024, 22% of businesses in this sector reported this as a significant impediment, compared to just 9% at the start of the year. Despite this challenge, however, overall sales across all sectors showed positive net balances in June. In particular, there were increased sales in both the industry and service sectors, while retail sales saw a slight decrease. Expectations for July were positive across all sectors except construction and hotels. This indicates an optimistic outlook for Israeli businesses moving forward into July and beyond.