In brief: budget gap already at 58.2% of plan; banking climate still pessimistic

The government reported on Friday that in the first two months of the year 58.2% of the 2001 deficit plan had already been exhausted, or zl.11.96 billion in absolute terms. Finance Minister Bauc has said he anticipates the budget gap to widen to as much as 70% of the annual plan in the first quarter thanks to low inflation and slow economic growth. (Prawo i Gospodarka, March 17-18, p.3; Reuters) ... Private polling institute Pentor released data on Friday pointing to continued pessimism among domestic bankers, as its monthly banking climate index Pengab remained stagnant in March from last month at a seven-year low of 26.6 points. The survey measures the difference between positive and negative answers to whether the situation in the banking sector is better or worse than in the previous month. (Reuters)