ZCZC
BCN-19
ITALY-CONSUMER-BUSINESS-DROPS
Italy’s consumer, business confidence drops in August
ROME, Aug. 28 (BSS/Xinhua) — The confidence climate among Italian consumers
and businesses dropped in August against the previous month, the National
Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) estimated on Tuesday.
The consumer confidence index decreased to 115.2 points in August from
116.2 in July. The drop was especially linked to the deterioration in the
economic component, which declined to 136.6 points from 141.3, the agency
said in its report.
However, expectations on unemployment among Italian consumers grew to 24.1
points from 12.9 points.
As for the business climate, the composite confidence index dropped to
103.8 points in August from 105.3 in July, according to ISTAT.
“In the productive sectors — beside a decline registered in manufacturing
— it should be noted that the confidence index in the service sector, down
from July, is below the average level of the last semester 2017, although
maintaining at a historically high level,” the statistical office said.
BSS/XINHUA/SR/1845 HRS