Czech Republic: Economic sentiment slips to six-year low in February
The economic sentiment indicator, published by the Czech Statistical Office (CSO), dipped from 98.1 in January to 97.6 in February, the lowest reading since February 2014.
The business confidence index edged down to 96.3 in February from 96.7 in January, driven by weaker sentiment in the services and construction sectors. Meanwhile, confidence in the trade and industrial sectors improved from the previous month.
Similarly, consumers turned less optimistic in February, with the consumer confidence index declining to 104.1 in February from 104.8 in January. The drop was chiefly due to households’ increased concerns over the general economic situation ahead. Overall, consumer confidence remains well above the long-term average, however.