• Data reference period (Month)
• Geographic localization (Portugal)
• Type of trade

• BALANCE:  Difference between the share of positive evaluation responses ("increased", "improved very much", "above average", "good", "yes, for sure", etc.) and negative evaluation responses ("decreased", "worsened somewhat", "very unfavourable", "probably not", etc.). These calculations do not include the share of neutral responses ("perhaps", "the same", etc.) and "doesn't know".;
• ENTERPRISE:  Legal entity (natural or legal person) that is an organisational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the allocation of its current resources. An enterprise carries out one or more activities at one or more locations.
• REFERENCE PERIOD:  Period to which the information refers and which may be a specific day or a time interval (month, fiscal year, calendar year, among others).

Trade Confidence Indicator  is calculated according to the methodology of the EC - DG ECFIN, and corresponds to the arithmetic mean of the balances of the following questions:
- How has (have) your business activity (sales) developed over the past 3 months? It has… (They have...) 1. + improved (increased); 2. = remained unchanged; 3. − deteriorated (decreased).
- How do you expect your business activity (sales) to change over the next 3 months? It (They) will... 1. + improve (increase); 2. = remain unchanged 3. − deteriorate (decrease).
- [Inverted Sign] Do you consider the volume of stock you currently hold to be...? 1. + too large (above normal); 2. = adequate (normal for the season); 3. − too small (below normal).