MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Business activity of Russian enterprises in January almost reached pre-pandemic indicators of February 2020, according to a survey conducted by Promsvyazbank, Opora Russia business association, and Magram Market Research agency.

According to the survey, under the RSBI index, business activity of small and medium-sized businesses has been leaning to the growth zone for the third month in a row, and in January 2021 it amounted to 49.3 points, virtually equal to the pre-pandemic indicators of February 2020. The survey included owners and top managers of 1,773 small and medium-sized businesses from all regions of Russia.

It was specified that a value of the index above 50 points means an increase in business activity, below 50 - a decline. In December 2020, business activity was in the zone of decline and amounted to 46.5 points.

At the same time, the survey noted that activities of 76% of representatives of Russian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 2020 were profitable or could break even.

According to the survey, "76% of the surveyed representatives of small and medium-sized businesses noted that their activities in 2020 were profitable or break-even." Another 12% reported that they "closed the year with small losses," the other 10% said they were "severely unprofitable." The remaining respondents found it difficult to answer.

"At the same time, the largest share of enterprises that made a profit at the end of the year belongs to the medium-sized business segment," the materials indicate.

The survey also showed that only 11% of small and medium-sized enterprises considered the New Year holidays to be a season of high earnings, and no more than 50% of the total number of respondents were able to get the expected level of sales at this time.