Czech Republic: Economic sentiment improves in June
The economic sentiment indicator, a composite confidence indicator published by the Czech Statistical Office (CSO), rose to 100.0 points in June from 99.2 points in May, just shy of April’s nearly ten-year high of 100.1. As a result, the indicator now lies on the 100-point mark that separates optimism from pessimism in the Czech economy.
The business confidence index increased to 97.4 points in June from 96.2 points in May. The improvement came on the back of more upbeat sentiment in the industry, construction and services sectors, whereas sentiment in the trade industry deteriorated slightly.
Consumers were less optimistic in June, however, with the consumer confidence index falling to 113.0 points from an all-time high of 113.8 points in the previous month. The downtick was largely due to consumers’ more negative assessment of employment prospects. Nonetheless, consumer confidence remained well above the historical average.