The Consumer confidence indicator declined in August and September, after increasing in the previous three months. The decline in September was driven by negative contributions from expectations regarding the future evolution of the country’s economic situation and of households’ financial situation, as well as from opinions on the past evolution of households’ financial situation. In the opposite direction, expectations on the future evolution of major purchases by households registered a positive contribution.
The balance of opinions on past price developments decreased in the last five months, after recording in April its highest rise since May 2008. The balance of expectations on future price developments increased in August and September, following the decreases of the previous four months.
The economic climate indicator decreased in September, after having increased in the previous month. The confidence indicators increased in Manufacturing Industry and in Services, having decreased in Trade and in Construction and Public Works.
In the Manufacturing Industry, the indicator increased in September, after having decreased in the previous month, driven by the positive contributions of assessments of stock of finished products and, more significantly, of production expectations. The confidence indicator of Services also increased in August and September, after having decreased in July, driven by the positive contributions from assessments of the firm's activity and opinions on the evolution of the order books. By contrast, the Trade confidence indicator decreased in the last three months, slightly in September, reflecting the negative contributions from assessments on the current volume of stocks and opinions on the volume of sales. The confidence indicator of Construction and Public Works also decreased in September, after having increased in July and August, reflecting the negative contributions of both components: opinions on current order books and perspectives on employment.
In September, the entrepreneurs’ expectations regarding the future evolution of selling prices increased in all sectors, with particularly strong increases in Manufacturing Industry, Services and Trade, and a more moderate increase in Construction and Public Works.
