Belgium Consumer Mood Hits 13-Month Low

The consumer confidence indicator in Belgium dropped to -10 in May 2026 from -9 in the previous month, marking the third consecutive month of negative readings and the lowest level since May last year. The decline was driven mainly by a sharp increase in unemployment concerns, which climbed to a thirteen-month high of 14 from 6 in April. At the same time, expectations for saving capacity fell to 14 from 18, the lowest level since February 2024, suggesting that households are becoming more cautious about their savings outlook. In contrast, the assessment of the general economic situation in Belgium improved to -37 from -43, while perceptions of household financial conditions also became slightly less negative, easing to -4 from -5.

The consumer confidence indicator in Belgium dropped to -9 in April 2026 from -6 in the previous month, marking its lowest level since April last year. The decline was driven by worsening expectations for households’ financial situation over the next twelve months, with the index falling to -5 from -3 in March. At the same time, expectations regarding saving capacity became less optimistic, declining to 18 from 22 over the past two months. In contrast, expectations for the broader economic situation in Belgium showed slight improvement, with the index rising to -43 from -45, while concerns about unemployment eased, with sentiment turning positive as the indicator climbed to 6 from -3.

The consumer confidence indicator in Belgium dropped to -6 in March 2026 from 1 in the previous month. This marked the lowest reading since May last year, driven by a significant worsening in expectations for the economic situation in Belgium, which fell to -45 from -25 in February, the weakest level since 2022. At the same time, fears of unemployment increased sharply, with the indicator rising to -3 from -11, signaling heightened concerns about job security. On a personal level, households became slightly more pessimistic about their financial situation, with the index easing to -3 from -2. Meanwhile, expectations regarding saving capacity remained unchanged at 22, indicating that households are maintaining their savings outlook despite growing economic uncertainty.