In February 2020, the consumer confidence slipped from 111.8 to 111.4. Looking at its components, the economic climate decreased from 123.8 to 123.4, the personal one from 108.4 to 107.8, the current one from 110.7 to 110.6 and, finally, the future one from 114.6 to 112.7.
As for the business confidence climate, the index (IESI, Istat Economic Sentiment Indicator) improved passing from 99.2 to 99.8.
The confidence index in manufacturing increased only just from 100.0 to 100.6. Among the series included into the definition of the climate, the opinions on order books bettered from -15.5 to -14.3 while the expectations on production decreased from 5.6 to 4.7. Lastly, inventories were considered to have diminished (from 4.8 to 3.4 the related balance).
The confidence index in construction drifted from 142.7 to 142.3. Looking at its components, the assessments on order books/construction plans decreased from -14.1 to -16.9 while the employment expectations improved from from 2.6 to 4.8.
The market services confidence index was unchanged at 99.4. More specifically, the expectations on order books and the assessments on business trend declined (the related balances went down from 5.9 to 5.5 the first and from 5.3 to 4.5 the second) while the assessments on order books recovered (the balance of the variable rose from -1.9 to -0.9).
The retail trade confidence index increased from 106.6 to 107.6. In a situation characterized by a restocking of inventories (the related balance increased from 7.3 to 13.3), assessments on current sales slightly declined and expectations on the future ones improved (from 13.7 to 13.2 and from 21.0 to 30.4 the related balances). According to the breakdown by type of retail distribution: the indicator rose in the small and medium scale distribution (from 100.3 to 103.3) and held stable in the large scale one (109.8).