The case of a woman injured in a shopping mall

Inflation has accelerated markedly in recent months, reaching 4.1% yoy in August. Core inflation increased to a historical high of 4.8% yoy, with widespread price increases, especially in services. At the end of the year, we expect headline inflation to be close to 5.4%, but even higher value is a risk. In our view, this will force the central bank to raise interest rates faster. At the next bank board meeting on 30 September, we expect rates to be raised by 50bp. Monetary policy tightening should continue over the rest of the year, with the repo rate reaching 2% at year-end, from the current 0.75%. However, high inflation will dampen the impact of higher nominal rates, as real interest rates are likely to remain deeply negative.

It may seem that the Czech economy has not yet recovered from the covid pandemic and its consequences, however, companies are already looking ahead, continuing with reaching their goals, innovating. Recruitment has started in most sectors to a similar extent as it was less than two years ago. Or even in some sectors, the recruitment pressure is even stronger than before! Companies face a difficult task: they need to address and attract the right candidates and retain both these new and existing talents and key employees.

Erste Social Finance Holding, a joint venture of Erste Group and ERSTE Foundation, recently launched “Quasi-equity”, an innovative social finance instrument. This new funding opportunity, which has received financial support from the European Union, helps social organisations grow and scale up their impact by strengthening their equity. Provided in the form of a so-called “qualified subordinated loan”, Quasi-equity is available to social enterprises, non-profit and non-governmental organisations in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, and Croatia.