Belgian companies saw a decline in their average profit-margin rate in the third quarter of 2023, figures from the National Bank of Belgium, NBB, showed on Wednesday.
The rate dropped to its lowest point since the Covid-19 crisis, going from 42.2% in the second quarter, to 41.7% in the third, according to NBB data. This was the sixth consecutive quarter marked by a declining rate.
In early 2022, profit-margin rates had hit their highest level since the NBB began recording data in 1995, and the hike had been reflected in general price hikes across sectors.
Despite declining profitability, investments by non-financial corporations saw a consistent rise in 2023, increasing for the fifth consecutive quarter.
