31/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - For the first time in five months, the Euro zone index of business confidence recorded a drop (-0.29 after having reached -0.24, its best level in the last year and a half), according to the data published on Friday by the European Commission. The Commission indicates that this development is due to the negative appreciation of production forecasts. The other components of the index remain stable (production, finish product stocks, order books). The Euro zone economic confidence index also fell in January to 98.4 points, against 98.6 in December. Consumer confidence fell for the fourth time in a row and reached its lowest level since May 1997. Business confidence fell for the first time in five months. Only the building confidence index rose.