Italian consumers and businesses grow more confident in June
Italian businesses and consumers were in a chipper mood in June amid improved perceptions of the economic environment and as order books grew.
ISTAT's consumer confidence index jumped from 105.4 in May to 106.4 for June, boosted by stronger readings on all its subcomponents.
A subindex tracking how Italian consumers judged economic conditions rose from 122.0 to 123.6, while that linked to their personal situation advanced from 100.2 to 100.9.
In parallel, the subindex for how consumers judged the current situation rose from 105.2 to 105.7 and that for their expectations from 106.6 to 107.7.
Similarly, ISTAT's business climate gauge increased from 106.2 in the month before to 106.4 in June.
A subindex of manufacturing sector conditions was ahead to 107.3 from 106.9 in May, as order books improved, although production expectations declined.
Meanwhile, the balance on inventories fell.
Separate indices for sentiment in construction and market services also increased from one month to the next with the former rising by the most, from 128.1 to 129.8.
The subindex for retail trade on the other hand fell back from 111.1 to 108.9