Consumer and business confidence - August 2022

In August 2022, the consumer confidence index rose from 94.8 to 98.3. Looking at its components, a marked improvement was observed, in particular, in the economic climate. Indeed, the indicator passed from 84.9 to 92.9. The positive evolution concerned also all the other components: the current climate rose from 96.1 to 99.7, the future one improved from 92.9 to 96.4 and, finally, the personal one bettered from 98.1 to 100.2.

Regarding the business confidence climate, the index (IESI, Istat Economic Sentiment Indicator) declined from 110.7 to 109.4.

The confidence climate in manufacturing worsened from 106.4 to 104.3. The balances referring both to the assessments on order books and the expectations on the future production shrank ( from -0.8 to -3.9 and from 5.3 to 4.7, respectively), while the one of the assessments on inventories grew (from 1.1 to 3.2).

The confidence index in construction reduced drastically passing from 164.4 to 155.8. The negative development was due to both the variables composing the business climate. In details, the balance of the expectations on employment diminished from 10.1 to 3.7 and the one of the assessments on order books/construction went down from 7.1 to 2.2.

The market services confidence index eased from 103.9 to 103.3. Widespread optimism emerged from the opinions both on the order books and the business trend (the balances of the variables increased from 8.5 to 10.6 and from 9.1 to 9.4, respectively). The expectations on the future order books, on the contrary, came out less positive (the related balance diminished from 5.6 to 1.4).

The retail trade confidence improved significantly going from 108.5 to 113.5. The assessments on current business trend and, albeit to a lesser extent, the expectations on future sales improved (the related balances got on from 13.1 to 27.3 and from 19.6 to 21.8, respectively), while the level of inventories rose again (from -0.3 to 0.5 the related balance).