ROMA (ITALPRESS) – In March 2026, the consumer confidence indicator drops from 97.4 to 92.6 while the composite indicator of the climate of trust of enterprises suffers a marginal reduction (from 97.4 to 97.3). It makes Istat known. Among consumers, there is a widespread worsening of opinions, especially those on the economic situation of the country: the economic climate falls from 99.1 to 88.1, the future climate drops from 93.1 to 85.3, the personal climate drops from 96.8 to 94.2 and the current climate decreases from 100.7 to 98.0. With reference to enterprises, the confidence index increases in all sectors investigated except for retail trade: in manufacturing and construction the climate rises, respectively, from 88,5 to 88,8 and from 103,1 to 103,6, in market services increases from 102,1 to 102,7 and in retail trade falls from 104,9 to 100,6.
With regard to the components of trust indices, entrepreneurs in manufacturing industry consider improving the order level but expect a decrease in the level of production; stocks of finished products are judged in decrease. All components are improving in construction. In market services there is a positive dynamic of order judgments while the expectations are decreasing; business assessments are marked by optimism. In retail trade all components worsen. According to the evaluations given by the entrepreneurs of the manufacturing sector on the change of investments compared to the previous year, in 2026 a less optimism emerges than the analogous variation observed for 2025 (compared to 2024).
“In March 2026, the business confidence indicator undergoes a marginal reduction by summarizing overall positive opinions in the industry and market services sector and a widespread deterioration of the evaluations of entrepreneurs operating in retail trade – is the Istat comment. The consumer confidence index suffers a marked decline due to a worsening of all components of the index, except for the variable on the opportunity to save in the current phase. It should be noted that the components that record the worsening are the judgments and above all the expectations on the general economic situation. Please note that the data collection took place in the first 15 days of March.”.
– Istat press office photos –
(ITALPRESS).
