Consumer and business confidence

In June 2021, the consumer confidence index got on from 110.6 to 115.1. All its components bettered, but particularly optimistic signals emerged from the economic climate and from the current one. Looking at the data, the economic climate surged from 116.2 to 126.9, the current one progressed from 102.6 to 108.1, the personal one grew from 108.7 to 111.1 and, finally, the future one rose from 122.5 to 125.5.

With reference to the business confidence climate, the index (IESI, Istat Economic Sentiment Indicator) made progress from 107.3 to 112.8.

The confidence index in manufacturing increased from 110.9 to 114.8. Rosier indications came, in particular, from assessments on the order book current trend and from expectations on the future production, while the level of inventories rose slightly (the related balances varied from -0.2 to 6.6, from 14.8 to 19.7 and, finally, from -1.8 to -1.2, respectively).

The confidence index in construction slipped from 153.9 to 153.6. Compared to the previous survey, the assessments on order books/construction recovered from -7.0 to -3.5 and the expectations on employment worsened from 10.3 to 6.4.

The market services confidence index got on from 99.1 to 106.7. The respondents gave more favourable opinions both on the current and future volume of order books and the current business trend (the related balances improved from -4.8 to 2.7, from 14.5 to 21.1 and from -1.5 to 8.1).

The retail trade confidence index developed significantly passing from 99.9 to 106.7. The balance referring to the current business trend clearly recovered, while the one on the future business trend declined (the related balances varied from -5.2 to 12.4 and from 24.6 to 22.0). That trend went alongside with an inventories decrease (the balance diminished, in fact, from 12.7 to 6.8). The confidence improvement was common to both kinds of distribution: the index improved from 103.0 to 108.6 in the large scale distribution and from 92.7 to 101.5 in the small and medium scale one.