ROMA (ITALPRESS) – In January 2026, the consumer confidence index rises slightly from 96.6 to 96.8 and the composite indicator of the business climate of trust increases from 96.6 to 97.6. It makes Istat known. Among consumers, there is a slight improvement in the views on the national economic framework and the future situation, while the assessments on the current and personal sphere are marked by greater caution: the economic climate increases from 97.0 to 97.4 and the future climate rises from 91.6 to 92.3; the personal climate passes from 96.4 to 96.6 and the current climate remains substantially stable. With reference to the companies, the confidence index definitely increases in market services (from 100,2 to 103,4) and also rises in manufacturing (from 88,5 to 89,2) while it decreases in construction (from 101,0 to 99,8) and, above all, in retail trade (from 106,9 to 102.5).
As for the components of trust indices, in the manufacturing industry judgments on orders and expectations on the level of production are improving while an accumulation of stocks emerges. Entrepreneurs working in the construction sector judge the level of orders and/or plans of construction in decided worsening compared to last month and provide a stability of the level of employment at the company.
With regard to market services, there is a clear progress of all components; On the contrary, retail trade is estimated to be a significant deterioration in both current and prospective sales ratings, and in stock assessment.
“In the first month of 2026 there is a slight improvement in consumer opinion and a more decisive one of enterprises; the favourable evolution of the latter was mainly driven by the market services sector and, to a lesser extent, by the manufacturing sector; Instead in retail trade, the evaluations of entrepreneurs are altogether negative both in the big distribution and in the traditional one – comments Istat -. As for consumers, the slight increase is borne by expectations on the general economic situation (including unemployment) and by judgments on the personal economic situation as well as the improvement of opinions on the opportunity/possibility of saving”.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
