Consumer and business confidence

In June 2019, the consumer confidence index decreased from 111.6 to 109.6. All its components worsened: the economic one from 125.5 to 120.9, the personal one from 107.4 to 105.6, the current one from 109.6 to 107.6 and, finally, the future one from 115.6 to 112.3.

As for the business confidence climate, the related index (IESI, Istat Economic Sentiment Indicator) regressed from 100.2 to 99.3.

The confidence index in manufacturing went down from 101.9 to 100.8. Assessments on order books and expectations on production worsened (from -11.5 to -13.4 and from 5.9 to 5.1, respectively). As regards to the assessments on inventories, the related balance moved from 3.6 to 4.1.

The confidence index in construction reduced from 144.3 to 140.9. Both its components worsened: the assessments on order books/construction plans from -14.9 to -15.9 and the employment expectations from 5.6 to 2.0.

The market services confidence index weakened from 99.3 to 98.9. Looking at the variables composing the index, both assessments on order books and the ones on business trend worsened (from -2.1 to -3.6 the first and from 6.2 to 5.5 the second one); the expectations on order books, on the contrary, ameliorated (the related balance increased, in fact, from 4.9 to 5.7).

The retail trade confidence index rose from 102.7 to 104.7. Both assessments on current sales and expectations on the future ones bettered (from 6.3 to 7.2 the former and from 19.0 to 23.5 the latter). As for the assessments on volume of stocks, the related balance passed from 9.8 to 9.3. In particular, the confidence index improved in the small and medium scale distribution (moving from 99.3 to 104.4) and rose only slightly in the large scale one (from 105.2 to 105.4).