In September 2019, the consumer confidence index improved slightly from 111.9 to 112.2. Among the components included into the definition, the future and the personal one bettered from 115.5 to 116.8 and from 107.0 to 107.8 respectively, the current one remained unchanged at 110.0 while the economic one worsened, passing from 127.7 to 127.0.
With regard to the business confidence climate, the related index (IESI, Istat Economic Sentiment Indicator) decreased only slightly passing from 98.9 to 98.5.
The confidence index in manufacturing deteriorated from 99.6 to 98.8. More specifically, assessments on order books and expectations on production changed for the worse (the related balances went from -16.7 to -17.8 the first and from 4.9 to 3.7 the second), while assessments on inventories held steady (4.1 the balance).
The confidence index in construction went up from 140.4 to 143.2. More specifically, assessments on order books/construction rose from -15.3 to -13.4 and the employment expectations improved from 0.7 to 2.6.
The market services confidence index got better from 97.4 to 98.5. Looking at its components: assessments on order books and the ones on business trend bettered; expectations on order books, on the contrary, lessened (the related balances moved from -4.5 to -1.2 the first, from 3.5 to 6.2 the second and from 3.9 to 1.5 the third).
The retail trade confidence index worsened from 109.9 to 107.6. As for its components, the opinions on current sales changed for the worse, while the expectations on the future ones got better (the related balances moved from 16.0 to 13.4 the first and from 24.7 to 25.8 the second). Finally, on the whole stocks were evaluated to have increased (the related balance went up from 3.4 to 8.8). The retail trade confidence index diminished in the large scale distribution from 112.4 to 110.3 and in the small and medium scale one from 100.9 to 99.8.