ROME: Morale among Italian manufacturers rose to its highest in almost four years, while consumer confidence declined in April, data showed.
National statistics institute ISTAT’s manufacturing confidence index increased to 104.1 in April from 103.7 in March.
That was the highest level since June 2011, just before the country fell into a three year recession, and slightly above the median forecast of 103.7 in a Reuters survey of 18 analysts.
ISTAT’s composite business morale index, combining surveys of the manufacturing, retail, construction and services sectors, fell after rising to 103.0 in March.
Consumer confidence also declined to 108.2 from a downwardly revised 110.7 in March (originally reported as 110.9), lower than the 110.5 median forecast by 17 analysts in a Reuters survey.
ISTAT gave the following data on the April manufacturing confidence survey:
