Across its 20-year history, the Deloitte Central European Private Equity Confidence Survey Index has acted as a barometer of sentiment, with ups and downs captured and often hinting at market activity to come.
The first half of this year has seen a number of strong exits cast a positive light on CE deal doers’ ability to deliver returns. This is likely boosting respondents’ confidence, with the Index’s recovery gaining momentum in our latest Survey.
Economic prospects may be improving, with glimmers of optimism in our last Survey giving way to more concrete confidence. There has been a near halving of those expecting conditions to deteriorate, from 79% last time to just 43% this time, while the proportion expecting an improvement has shot up from just 3% to 15% this Survey.
Optimism around market activity continues to grow, with over a quarter (26%) expecting a boost in transacting, more than double last survey’s 12%. Equally uplifting is that there has been a halving of those expecting a decrease, from over two-thirds last semester (69%) to a third (34%) this Survey.
Credit funds continue to play a bigger role in CE, with 45% of respondents now looking more to non-bank lenders for leverage for new deals and refinancings. 15% report needing more lenders now for a deal, and 13% of respondents claim their transactions are on hold, up from 8% in the last Survey and a clear sign of caution.
We are encouraged by the sentiment for the region, though not surprised given our Survey has shown each shock to be followed by a recovery over the last 20 years,
says Dusan Sevc, Deloitte Partner and Private Equity Leader.
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