Capacity utilisation for large manufacturing companies increased by 4,7 percentage points to 57,3 percent in the second quarter of this year compared to 53,2 percent in the first quarter, amid optimistic prospects about the general business climate. According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) Second Quarter 2025 business tendency survey for manufacturing, capacity utilisation for small to medium manufacturing companies stood at 46,5 percent during the period under review. Mrs Chiguma said 25,3 percent of the respondents expressed optimism about the general business climate in the second quarter of 2025. Mining sector capacity utilisation for the second quarter of 2025 was 56 percent, up from 55,4 percent recorded in the first quarter of 2025. Mrs Chiguma said that 25 percent of the mining sector respondents also expressed optimism about the general business climate during the period under review.