In April 2023, the consumer confidence index increased slightly from 105.1 to 105.5. With regard to its components, the economic consumer confidence climate bettered from 117.4 to 119.0, the current one increased from 99.5 to 100.2, the personal one remained virtually stable, passing from 101.0 to 100.9 and, finally, the future one slipped from 113.5 to 113.3.
With reference to the business confidence climate, the index (IESI, Istat Economic Sentiment Indicator) slightly increased from 110.1 to 110.5.
The confidence climate in manufacturing moved down from 104.1 to 103.0. Both expectations on production and assessments on order books worsened (the related balances passed from 8.4 to 6.5 and from -7.6 to -8.3, respectively), while inventories were considered to have built up (the balance of the variable passed from 3.9 to 4.3).
The confidence climate in construction increased from 159.1 to 164.2 benefiting mainly from the improvement of assessments on order books/construction (the related balance recovered from 0.5 to 5.7). The expectations on employment also gave more favourable indications (the balance of the variable progressed from 9.7 to 11.2).
The market services confidence index rose from 103.9 to 105.5. Assessments on business trend and expectations on order books changed for the better (the related balances passed from 8.5 to 10.0 and from 5.8 to 10.4, respectively). Conversely, assessments on order books got worse (the balance of the variable decreased from 9.0 to 7.7).
The retail trade confidence index decreased from 115.7 to 113.0. In particular, negative indications came from the opinions and (even if to a lesser extent) the forecasts for sales (the related balances varied from 34.8 to 29.8 and from 26.0 to 23.2, respectively). Finally, inventories were considered to have slightly increased (the related balance rose in fact from 5.5 to 6.1).