Consumer and business confidence

In January 2020, the consumer confidence index went up from 110.8 to 111.8. The improvement in confidence was spread across all the components. In particular, the economic climate bettered from 120.9 to 123.8, the personal one from 106.8 to 108.4, the current one from 108.8 to 110.7 and, finally, the future one from 112.3 to 114.7.

As for the business confidence climate, the index (IESI, Istat Economic Sentiment Indicator) slipped from 100.7 to 99.2.

The confidence index in manufacturing progressed from 99.3 to 99.9. With regard to the series included into the definition of the climate, both assessments on order books and expectations on production improved (the related balances got better from -16.9 to -15.7 and from 4.6 to 5.7, respectively). Lastly, the balance of inventories rose slightly, passing from 4.5 to 4.9.

The confidence index in construction went up from 140.1 to 142.7. Looking at its components, the assessments on order books/construction plans diminished from -12.8 to -14.1 while the employment expectations improved from from -2.1 to 2.6.

The market services confidence index decresead from 102.2 to 99.5. All its components worsened. More in detail, the balance of assessments on order books diminished from 2.1 to -1.9, the one related to business trend decreased from 6.9 to 5.3 and, finally, the one of expectations on order books went down from 8.8 to 6.0.

The retail trade confidence index diminished from 110.6 to 106.6. In particular, assessments on current sales and expectations on the future business activity changed for the worse (the related balances went down from 21.6 to 13.8 and from 24.4 to 20.5, respectively). As for inventories, the related balance rose from 6.3 to 7.0. The retail trade confidence weakened in the small and medium scale distribution (from 100.4 to 100.2) and deteriorated in the large scale one (from 114.4 to 109.8).