Global| Feb 25 2003European Indicators of Business and Consumer Confidence Diverge
Summary
February indicators of business and consumer confidence in Europe show a mixed picture. In general, businessmen appear to be slightly more optimistic in February than they were in January while consumers are more pessimistic. The [...]
February indicators of business and consumer confidence in Europe show a mixed picture. In general, businessmen appear to be slightly more optimistic in February than they were in January while consumers are more pessimistic. The popular IFO index for Germany showed a surprising increase in business confidence. Business sentiment also improved in Italy and Belgium. None of these increases was large and the general level of sentiment remains subdued. Business men in the Netherlands were more pessimistic in February than they were in January.
Consumer confidence declined in February in Belgium and the Netherlands where the balance of negative over positive respondents increased. Consumer sentiment improved slightly in Italy, however, the over-all level remains well below levels reached in early 2002.
| Business Confidence/Sentiment | Feb 2003 | Jan 2003 | 2002 High | 2002 Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany (1991=100) | 88.9 | 87.4 | 91.6 | 86.8 |
| Italy (1995=100) | 94.2 | 93.8 | 97.1 | 88 |
| Belgium (Percent Balance) | -8.9 | -12.1 | -2.6 | -12.8 |
| Netherlands (Percent Balance) | -6.8 | -3.8 | -0.7 | -3.5 |
| Consumer Confidence/Sentiment | Feb 2003 | Jan 2003 | 2002 High | 2002 Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy (1980=100) | 107.7 | 106.2 | 124.3 | 107.4 |
| Belgium (Percent Balance) | -13 | -9 | 2 | -8 |
| Netherlands (Percent Balance) | -37 | -36 | -4 | -32 |
More Economy in Brief
