Santo Domingo.- Industrial Confidence in the DR remains favorable during the second quarter of 2026, with an Industrial Confidence Index (ICI) of 56.4 and a Business Climate Index (ICE) of 55.9, both above the threshold of 50, according to the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD).
The Industrial Situation Survey (ECI), prepared by the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD), collects information on the performance and perceptions of industrial companies during a given period.
Compared to the previous quarter (January-March 2026), both indices recorded increases during the April-June 2026 period, remaining above the 50-point threshold and evidencing a positive and optimistic perception of the industrial sector.
Industrial Confidence Index (ICI)
The Industrial Confidence Index has remained above the 50-point threshold since the first quarter of 2022, thus showing a significant period of expansion.
This index measures business perceptions regarding sales compared to the previous quarter, production expectations, and finished goods inventories.
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During the second quarter of 2026, the production volume balance stood at 58.2 compared to the previous quarter and at 58.9 compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Production expectations for the following quarter (July-September) were at 63.5.
Regarding sales, the results for the April-June quarter reached a balance of 59.9 compared to the previous quarter and 62.8 year-on-year. Sales expectations for the third quarter of 2026 stand at 63.3.
Regarding foreign sales, the percentage of companies that allocated part of their production to exports decreased, going from 77.4% of the surveyed companies to 73.0% during the April-June 2026 quarter.
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Dominican industry maintains positive expectations
Regarding inventories, sales (59.9%) grew faster than production (58.2%) compared to the January-March 2026 quarter. This led to an increase in the insufficient inventory level, which went from 6.0% to 19.0%.
In the second quarter of 2026, 85.2% of companies stated that they made investments to increase their installed production capacity, while in the first quarter of 2026, 92.8% stated that they had made investments for that purpose.
Machinery continues to be the predominant category, increasing from 23.0% in January-March 2026 to 27.0% in April-June 2026.
Business Climate Index (BCI)
The Business Climate Index stood at 55.9 during the second quarter of 2026, above the value estimated at the close of the previous quarter (53.0).
Among the variables that make up the index, the perception of the Dominican economy went from 52.0 to 53.2, while the perception of the international economy increased from 41.0 to 50.5. The variable corresponding to the production branch stood at 57.8; the investment climate at 55.4; and the company’s situation at 62.5. All recorded values above 50.
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Expectations for the July-September 2026 quarter show values above 50 in the five factors considered by the index, according to the results presented in the survey tables.
The behavior of these indicators reflects the perception that companies maintain regarding the current and future conditions of productive activity. For the industrial sector, factors such as the performance of sales, production, investments, and economic expectations allow for the identification of opportunities and potential challenges for the coming months.
Similarly, the result of the Business Climate Index shows an improvement in the perception of business owners regarding the national and international environment. The increase recorded during the second quarter evidences greater confidence in the conditions for developing productive activities and making new investments.
