Belgium: Economic sentiment splits in February
The consumer confidence indicator produced by the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) rose to minus 4 in February from minus 6 in January, reaching a 15-month high. Notably, households’ assessment of their financial situation turned optimistic in February, while their perceived capacity to save rose further into positive territory. In addition, concerns over unemployment eased.
Meanwhile, the NBB’s business confidence indicator fell to minus 2.7 points in February from minus 2.0 points in January. A deterioration of sentiment in the manufacturing sector and in business-related services drove the overall decline. Nevertheless, sentiment in the trade sector turned less gloomy in February, while the building industry grew more optimistic.