Brussels, 07/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The main economic indicators confirm the increase in confidence that began in the euro zone in the fourth quarter of 2002. Thus the indicator that measures general economic sentiment in business and consumer circles was up 0.1% in December, at 98.5 (the 100 index corresponds to the EU average between 1994 and 2002). The European Commission also notes that, at the same time, this indicator lost 0.2 percentage points in the EU, at 98.8. This development is due to a increase in confidence in the construction and industrial sectors (but only in the euro zone) whereas consumer confidence and that of the retail sector continues to fall in the EU and the euro zone. It is in France that the global increase is the clearest (0.6 points). The regain in confidence also affects Germany (0.3) and Portugal. The indicator remains unchanged in Austria and Sweden, whereas it is down in all other Member States.
Also worth noting that the business climate indicator in the euro zone was up for the fourth consecutive time in December 2002. It does, however, remain negative at -0.24. It was -0.43 in November and October and -0.49 in September and -0.60 in august 2002. This indicator stood at -1.16 in December 2001.