Thursday, 12 November 2026
Slovakia’s construction and transportation sectors recorded strong turnover growth in September 2026, contrasting with a slight decline in industrial activity. According to figures published by the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic on 12 November, four of the five monitored economic sectors reported higher turnover than a year earlier, with transportation and storage recording the strongest increase.
Turnover in transportation and storage rose by 8.8% year-on-year, its highest growth rate so far in 2026. Construction followed with an increase of 7.6%, representing its second-strongest annual growth rate of the year. Selected market services recorded growth of 6.6%, while information and communication activities increased by 5.1%.
The results indicate continued activity in sectors closely connected with property development, infrastructure and logistics. However, turnover measures business revenues rather than construction output, completed development space or demand for industrial properties, and the figures should not be interpreted as direct evidence of growth in real estate investment.
Industrial turnover declined by 0.2% year-on-year in real terms, ending three consecutive months of growth. Eight of the 16 industrial sectors recorded increases, but these were insufficient to offset weaker results in several manufacturing activities.
The largest decline was reported in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, where turnover fell by 43.6%. Wood-product manufacturing decreased by 12.4%, while basic metals manufacturing declined by 3.9%. These developments weighed on overall industrial performance despite growth elsewhere in the sector.
Automotive manufacturing provided an important counterbalance, with turnover from the production of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers increasing by 6.6%. Machinery and equipment manufacturing grew by 12.7%, other manufacturing activities increased by 10.2%, and electricity and gas supply recorded growth of 16.1%.
On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, transportation and storage turnover increased by 4.3% compared with August, while industry recorded growth of 3.8%. Construction turnover, however, declined by 1.3% month-on-month despite its strong annual performance. Information and communication activities fell by 2.4%, and selected market services decreased by 0.2%.
The figures for the first nine months of 2026 show a broader divergence between industrial activity and other parts of the Slovak economy. Information and communication turnover increased by 11.3% compared with the corresponding period of 2025, while selected market services grew by 10.2%. Construction and transportation and storage each maintained growth exceeding 5%, although the statistical release did not specify their exact cumulative rates.
Industry was the only monitored sector to record a decline over the nine-month period, with turnover falling by 1.2% year-on-year. The result suggests that the recovery in manufacturing remains uneven, particularly across industries exposed to changing production volumes and external demand.
For Slovakia’s property and infrastructure markets, the September figures provide a mixed economic backdrop. Stronger construction and transportation turnover points to continued business activity in sectors relevant to development and logistics, while weaker industrial revenues underline the importance of monitoring manufacturing performance when assessing future occupier requirements.
