Economic sentiment improved in the EU and the Eurozone in August

The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) increased by 0.6 points to 96.6 points in the euro zone, and by 0.4 points to 96.9 points in the European Union.

The Employment Expectations Indicator (EEI) increased by 0.9 points to 99.6 points in the EU, and by 1.3 points to 99.2 points in the euro area.

Based on the final data of DG ECFIN for August, the consumer sentiment index fell by 0.1 points to minus 12.3 points in the EU and by 0.5 points to minus 13.5 points in the euro area.

In Hungary, the economic sentiment index (ESI) improved to 99.1 points in August from 98.9 points in July. The employment expectations index (EEI) decreased from 104.8 points to 102.8 points. The industrial index rose from minus 10.3 points in July to minus 10.1 points in August, and the service industry index fell to minus 5.1 points from minus 4.7 points in July. Consumer sentiment improved from minus 24.1 points to minus 22.6 points, and the retail sentiment index improved from minus 12 points to minus 9.7 points. The construction industry sentiment index rose from minus 20.7 points in the previous month to minus 18.9 points in August.