In September 2022, the consumer confidence index came in at 94.8 (compared to 98.3 in August). In a situation characterized by sharp deterioration of the economic climate (from 92.9 to 81.3), the breakdown of consumer confidence climate by components showed that also all the other indices decreased. More specifically, the future climate went down from 96.4 to 91.8, the current one from 99.7 to 96.9, and, finally, the personal one from 100.2 to 99.3.
Regarding the business confidence climate, the index (IESI, Istat Economic Sentiment Indicator) regressed from 109.2 to 105.2.
The confidence climate in manufacturing worsened from 104.0 to 101.3. Among confidence-building variables, both the balance of assessments on order books and the one of expectations on future production got worse (the first from -4.0 to -5.9 and the second one from 3.8 to -2.2). Lastly, with reference to the assessments on inventories, the related balance declined from 3.3 to 3.1.
The confidence index in construction showed improvement passing from 155.8 to 159.5. Indeed, compared to the previous survey, both the expectations on employment and the assessments on order books/construction bettered (the balance of the variables progressed from 3.7 to 5.3 and from 2.2 to 5.5, respectively).
The market services confidence index decreased markedly from 103.0 to 95.9. The worsening was due, in particular, to the strongly deterioration of the expectations on future order books (the balance of the variable slumped from 0.8 to -7.9). Anyway, a strong pessimism emerged also from opinions on current order books and on current business trend (the balances of the variables, in fact, dropped from 10.4 to 3.6 and from 9.1 to 2.7, respectively).
The retail trade confidence worsened from 113.4 to 110.6. Compared to the previous month, respondents gave less favourable opinions on current business trend and on future sales (the related balances regressed from 27.0 to 20.1 and from 21.6 to 18.1, respectively). However, firms indicated a stock reduction (from 0.5 to -1.3 the related balance).