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브레이크뉴스 문홍철 기자= 고금리·고환율 장기화 우려와 국제정세의 불확실성 속에서도, 대기업 4곳 중 3곳은 하반기에도 상반기 수준의 투자를 유지할 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 하반기에 투자를 확대하겠다는 기업이 축소하겠다는 기업보다 많은 것으로 조사돼 하반기 기업 투자가 상반기보다 개선될 것으로 기대된다.
8일 한국경제인협회에 따르면 여론조사기관 모노리서치에 의뢰해 매출액 500대 기업을 대상으로 ‘2024년 하반기 주요 대기업 국내 투자계획’(132개사 응답)을 조사한 결과, 올해 상반기와 비슷한 규모로 투자하겠다는 응답이 74.2%로 가장 많았다. 상반기 대비 투자규모를 확대하겠다는 응답은 16.7%, 축소하겠다는 응답은 9.1%로 조사됐다.
하반기 투자를 늘리겠다고 응답한 기업들은 △노후화된 기존 설비 교체·개선(31.8%) △업황 개선 기대감(31.8%) △불황기 적극적인 투자로 경쟁력을 확보(13.7%) 등이었다.
반면, 투자를 축소하겠다는 기업들은 그 이유로 고금리 등 글로벌 통화긴축 지속 전망(33.4%), 원가 상승에 따른 리스크 확대(16.7%) 등을 지적했다.
한경협은 기업들이 고금리 등 통화 긴축 지속을 우려하고 있지만, 글로벌 수요 증가 등 경기 회복에 대한 기대감이 높아 전체적으로 상반기 대비 투자를 유지하거나 늘리는 기업이 많았다고 풀이했다.
아울러 기업 10곳 중 4곳(43.9%)은 AI 투자를 계획(10.6%)했거나 검토(33.3%) 중인 것으로 나타났다. AI 관련 투자를 하는 이유로는 △생산공정 및 물류시스템 효율화(46.6%) △신제품 개발 및 서비스 품질 향상(29.3%) △데이터 분석 및 전략 수립(13.8%) 순이었다.
기업들은 하반기 투자활동을 저해하는 가장 큰 리스크로 △글로벌 긴축에 따른 고금리 지속(28.0%) △고환율 지속(21.2%) △경기둔화 등 경제전망 불확실(16.7%) 등을 주요 투자위험으로 꼽았다.
투자활동이 본격화되는 시기에 대해서는 10곳 중 4곳(37.1%)은 내년 상반기로 전망했으며, ‘이미 활성화’ 됐다는 응답은 24.2%, 올해 하반기는 15.2%로 나타났다.
한편, 기업들은 국내 투자환경 개선을 위한 정책과제로 △투자 관련 규제 등 기업 규제 완화(25.0%) △법인세 감세·투자 공제 등 세제지원 강화(22.7%) △물가 안정(12.9%) 등으로 응답했다.
이상호 한경협 경제산업본부장은 “기업들은 고금리, 고환율 장기화로 자금사정이 악화되는 등 경영환경이 매우 어려운 상황”이라며 “기업들이 투자 여력을 확충할 수 있도록 세제지원 확대, 규제완화를 추진하는 한편, R&D 인센티브를 통해 미래산업에 대한 투자를 유도해야 한다”고 전했다.
break9874@naver.com
*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>
90.9% of large companies will maintain and expand investment in the second half of this year despite internal and external risks
Break News Reporter Moon Hong-cheol= Despite concerns about prolonged high interest rates and high exchange rates and uncertainty in the international situation, three out of four large companies are expected to maintain investment at the level of the first half in the second half of the year. In addition, it is expected that corporate investment in the second half of the year will improve compared to the first half, as the number of companies planning to expand investment in the second half of the year is higher than the number of companies planning to reduce it.
According to the Korea Economic Association on the 8th, as a result of a survey of the top 500 companies in sales by public opinion polling agency Mono Research on 'domestic investment plans of major conglomerates in the second half of 2024' (132 companies responded), the response was that they would invest on a similar scale to the first half of this year. This was the largest at 74.2%. Compared to the first half of the year, 16.7% of respondents said they would increase the investment scale, and 9.1% said they would reduce it.
Companies that responded that they would increase investment in the second half of the year included △replacement and improvement of outdated existing facilities (31.8%) △expectations for improvement in industry conditions (31.8%) △securing competitiveness through active investment during a recession (13.7%).
On the other hand, companies that plan to reduce investment pointed out the prospect of continued global monetary tightening, including high interest rates (33.4%), and increased risks due to rising costs (16.7%), as reasons for this.
The Korea Economic Cooperation Association interpreted that although companies are concerned about continued monetary tightening such as high interest rates, there are many companies overall maintaining or increasing investment compared to the first half of the year due to high expectations for economic recovery such as increased global demand.
In addition, 4 out of 10 companies (43.9%) were found to be planning (10.6%) or considering (33.3%) AI investments. The reasons for making AI-related investments were in the order of △efficiency of production process and logistics system (46.6%), △development of new products and improvement of service quality (29.3%), and △data analysis and strategy establishment (13.8%).
Companies cited the following as the biggest risks impeding investment activities in the second half of the year: continued high interest rates due to global tightening (28.0%), continued high exchange rates (21.2%), and uncertain economic outlook such as economic slowdown (16.7%).
Regarding the time when investment activities will begin in earnest, 4 out of 10 (37.1%) predicted the first half of next year, while 24.2% responded that it was ‘already active’ and 15.2% responded in the second half of this year.
Meanwhile, companies responded that policy tasks to improve the domestic investment environment include easing corporate regulations, including investment-related regulations (25.0%), strengthening tax support such as corporate tax cuts and investment deductions (22.7%), and stabilizing prices (12.9%). .
“Companies are facing a very difficult business environment, with their financial situation deteriorating due to high interest rates and prolonged high exchange rates,” said Lee Sang-ho, head of the Korea Economic Cooperation Association’s economic and industrial division. “We are pushing for expansion of tax support and deregulation so that companies can expand their investment capacity. “We need to encourage investment in future industries through R&D incentives,” he said.
