In February, Istat estimates an increase in the consumer confidence climate index (from 100.9 to 104), while the composite business confidence climate index remains stable at 109.1.

The climate of consumer confidence recovers after the decrease recorded in January. The improvement in the index is due to a positive evolution of opinions on the general economic situation, an increase in expectations on the family economic situation and improved assessments both on the opportunity to make purchases in the current phase and on the possibility of saving in the future. In particular, the greater confidence would be linked to the perception of the recent decrease in the price of energy and the slowdown in inflation .

With reference to businesses, the climate of confidence worsens in the market services sector (from 104.2 to 103.3) and in the construction sector (from 158.8 to 157.2), remains stable in manufacturing (at 102, 8) and improved in the retail trade (from 110.6 to 114.6). Considering the components of business confidence climates calculated for the various sectors, in market services assessments and expectations on order books worsen, while opinions on business trends are slightly better than last month; in construction, worsening assessments on orders are accompanied by rising expectations on employment at the company. In manufacturing, views on orders and demand and production expectations are trending positive while inventory assessments point to a build-up. Finally, in the retail trade, assessments and, above all, expectations on sales are estimated to have improved markedly while the balance of assessments on inventories increases.

(Unioneonline/F)

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