Austria's economy is predicted to shrink at least 2.5 percent in 2020 if strict movement restrictions to fight the new coronavirus spread are lifted step-by-step by the end of April, economists said Thursday.
The Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) and the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) both predicted recessions.
WIFO director Christoph Badelt said his institute revised this year's economic growth forecast to minus 2.5 percent, down from plus 1.3 percent before the novel coronavirus crisis hit countries around the world. "This is an optimistic scenario," Badelt said, adding it assumed measures to fight the pandemic were lifted end of April, and nothing else unexpected and averse happened.
IHS director Martin Kocher said growth could fall to as much as minus 5.0 percent if measures limiting movements were extended until end of May.