Italian businesses forced to cut staff and wages

(AGI) Rome, Sept 17 - Twelve percent of Italian small andmedium-sized businesses have cut staff in the last 12 monthsand 9 percent have had to reduce pay because of the economiccrisis. An international survey of small and medium-sizedenterprises, by GFK Eurisko for Zurich Insurance Group, alsoshowed that 20 percent of SMEs have reduced prices, a 24percent rise on last year. This was to deal with a highlycompetitive market, a decline in demand and to attract newcustomers and expand. . .