This thesis assesses the usefulness of confidence indicators for short term forecasting of the economic activity in the Czech Republic. The predictive power of both the business confidence indicator and the customer confidence indicator is examined using two empirical approaches. First we predict the likelihood of economic downturn defined as a discrete event using logit models, later we estimate GDP growth out of sample forecasts in the framework of vector autoregression models. The results obtained from the downturn probability models confirm the ability of confidence indicators (especially the business confidence indicator) to estimate the current economic situation and to anticipate economic downturn one quarter ahead. Results from the out-of-sample GDP growth value forecasting are ambiguous. Nevertheless the customer confidence indicator significantly improved original forecasts based on a model with standard macroeconomic variables and therefore we conclude in favour of its predictive power. This result was indirectly confirmed by OECD as the Czech customer confidence indicator has been included as a new component in the OECD domestic composite leading indicator since April 2012.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe the problematic of business cycle and consumer surveys and represent their current development and usage. The secondary objective is to link economical and statistical bonds of business cycle surveys. First, the work describes the basic definition of business cycle surveys and their users. Further it is graphically and theoretically evaluating the current development of particular confidence indicators and their sub-questions. Subsequently is in frame of the current economic development compared development of leading indicators with the development of gross domestic product (calculated using the production method) using the HP filter. In the last part of the work are modeled one-dimensional ARIMA time series models of branch confidence indicators. Result of the work is business cycle surveys analysis in terms of basic economical and statistical ties. Completed work should serve as a material to understand business cycle survey and their importance in frame of economy development.