With the fourth Austria-wide lockdown for the whole population (from 22 November, calendar week 47) taking effect, weekly economic activity according to WWWI again fell markedly. According to preliminary calculations, the indicator for GDP in calendar weeks 46 and 47 (15 to 28 November 2021) was 1.2 percent and 5.7 percent below the pre-crisis level, an average week in 2019 as a fixed reference period.

In a recent WIFO Research Brief, Angela Köppl, Stefan Schleicher and Margit Schratzenstaller analyse Austria's entry into CO₂ pricing, with which the federal government is following an increasingly strong trend both in Europe and globally.

Sentiment among Austrian companies deteriorated slightly in November. The seasonally adjusted WIFO Business Climate Index stood at 18.0 points, 1.3 points below the previous month's value (19.2 points).

While the economic outlook has deteriorated again in the fourth quarter due to high numbers of COVID-19 infections and the nationwide and general lockdown imposed in Austria, a new WIFO report on the Austrian federal provinces shows a quick and pronounced recovery of regional economies in the second quarter of 2021.