In the third quarter, businesses grew, with a positive balance of over 18 thousand

Between July and September 2026, the Business Register of the Chambers of Commerce closed with a balance of +18,403 companies (+0.32%), the highest since 2021 and growing on the +16,920 of 2025. This is driven by registrations (62,788, +2.5%), while terminations (44,385, net of official cancellations) remain stable. At the end of September, there were 5,828,620 registered businesses. This was revealed by Movimprese, the quarterly analysis of Unioncamere and InfoCamere.

Mainly supporting the growth are joint-stock companies, which with an increase of 14,529 units (+0.73%), contribute to 79% of the overall increase in the stock. Sole proprietorships instead grew by 5,030, with a growth rate of 0.18% compared to 0.12% in the third quarter of 2025. On the contrary, partnerships lost 1,342 businesses, with a -0.17%, unchanged compared to the same quarter of 2025.

Commerce (+1,486 companies), agriculture (+798) and manufacturing (+123) closed the quarter on positive ground, compared to the substantial stalemate recorded in the same period of 2025.

Overall, eighteen of the nineteen main sectors closed with growth. In absolute terms, the largest contribution comes from construction (+3,435), accommodation and catering (+3,389) and professional, scientific and technical activities (+2,863).

Together, the three sectors show 9,687 more companies, more than half of the overall balance.

However, the highest growth rate is recorded in numerically smaller sectors. Electricity and gas (+2.33%, equal to 364 companies) and financial and insurance activities (+1.49%, +2,281 companies) lead the ranking of the most dynamic sectors. This is followed by publishing and radio and television activities (+1.17%) and professional, scientific and technical activities (+1.11%). In total, there are seven sectors growing at a rate higher than 0.9%, almost triple the overall rate (0.32%). These include healthcare and social assistance (+0.97%), artistic and sporting activities (+0.94%) and telecommunications and information technology (+0.93%). The only negative sign in the summer quarter is that of extractive activities: 17 fewer companies (-0.52%) on a stock of 3,227 units.