Italy: Consumers somewhat less confident in February
The consumer confidence index released by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) dipped to 111.4 in February from January’s 111.8.
February’s decline came on the back of a broad-based deterioration in the economic, personal, current and future components. Expectations on future unemployment and saving opportunities worsened, as did consumers’ assessments of their current financial situation. Furthermore, consumers were less willing to purchase big-ticket durable goods. On the other hand, households’ assessments of the current general economic situation and their expectations on the future general economic situation were less downbeat, and their expectations on their future economic situation also improved.