Activity is picking up among Finland's small and medium-sized businesses.
Growth among SMEs has accelerated, order books have strengthened, and total turnover is expected to rise by around 8 percent this year, according to state-owned investment company Tesi.
Things are especially expected to improve in information and communications technology and in industry, while the construction sector is likely to expand at a more subdued pace, though the worst of the downturn is thought to be over.
These forecasts have historically exhibited optimism, meaning that the adjusted growth estimate is significantly lower, Tesi noted.
Around two-thirds of the SMEs surveyed describe themselves as growth-oriented or strongly growth-oriented.
The survey revealed marked differences in internationalisation. Nearly 80 percent of industrial firms operate abroad or aim to do so, compared with fewer than one in five construction companies.
Nearly one in five small and medium-sized enterprises reported experiencing labour shortages last year, a problem particularly pronounced in the information and communications sector.
The Tesi survey drew on responses from almost 1,500 SMEs between mid-October and early January. The survey was conducted by Taloustutkimus.
