Sales of bicycles and bicycle equipment grew unexpectedly during the Covid-19 pandemic. In May, they were even twice as high year-on-year. People also spent more on golf and sports equipment and clothing. On the contrary, revenues from cultural activities went steeply down due to the closure of cinemas, theaters and concert halls. Thanks to online sales, music and book stores were an exception, according to statistics on card payments in ČSOB in the area of leisure time from March to May.

The mergers and acquisitions market was fundamentally affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Central and Eastern Europe region will evidently experience a “lean year” following record periods. While 726 significant transactions at a value of 42.3 billion euros were carried out in the region in 2019, according to the international study “Mazars Investing in CEE: Inbound M&A Report 2019/2020”, this year the acquisition market, according to experts and investors, will develop similarly as in the period of the previous financial crisis in 2008 due to the effects of the pandemic.

In 2019, the number of companies funded by private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) funds increased for the third consecutive year. That confirmed the trend of growing activity of local funds and their investment appetite in the CEE region. Fundraising activities generated almost EUR 100 million and compared to the record year 2018, the volume of divestments decreased by more than half, to EUR 80 million. This follows from CVCA 2019 Private Equity Report prepared jointly by Deloitte and Czech Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (CVCA). Although the Covid-19 pandemic thwarted optimistic expectations for 2020, the investment activities of Czech funds continue, albeit carefully, even at present.

As work sites slowly start to reopen, CFOs are optimistic they can keep their customers and employees safe - PwC survey As COVID-19 restrictions continue to slowly lift in some countries while others remain in lockdown, PwC’s latest COVID-19 CFO Pulse reveals a sense of optimism among finance leaders about their companies’ ability to reopen safely. Seventy-five percent of CFOs feel very confident they can meet customers’ safety expectations, and 70% are very confident they can provide a safe working environment for employees. The survey of 867 CFOs in 24 countries and territories also found that about half (49%) of CFOs are considering making remote work a permanent option where feasible, and 48% are looking at accelerating automation and other ways of working.