Belgium Consumer Mood Falls in August

The consumer confidence indicator in Belgium dropped to -7 in August 2026 from -5 in the previous month, marking the sixth consecutive month of negative readings. The decline was mainly driven by more pessimistic expectations for the broader economy and employment outlook. The assessment of the general economic situation in Belgium worsened to -32 from -27 in July, while concerns over unemployment climbed to a sixteen-month high of 16 from 14 in July. Households also slightly lowered their saving intentions, with expectations for saving capacity edging down to 22 from 23. In contrast, perceptions of household financial conditions remained unchanged at -2 for a third consecutive month.

The consumer confidence indicator in Belgium rose to -5 in July 2026 from -7 in the previous month, improving for the fourth consecutive month and reaching its highest level in four months. Consumer sentiment strengthened across most components, with expectations for the country's economic outlook becoming less pessimistic (-27 vs. -31), although they remained firmly in negative territory. Expectations regarding households' financial situation were unchanged at -2, while views on savings capacity became more optimistic, rising to 23 from 19. In contrast, confidence in the labor market deteriorated slightly, as expectations for unemployment increased to 14 from 13, returning to the level recorded two months earlier and remaining in pessimistic territory.

The consumer confidence indicator in Belgium rose to -7 in June 2026 from -10 in the previous month, marking an improvement, although sentiment remains in negative territory. The improvement was driven by a broad-based recovery across most components. Consumers’ expectations for the economic situation over the next 12 months improved to -31 from -37 in May, while unemployment expectations eased slightly to 13 from 14, indicating a marginal improvement in labor market sentiment. Expectations for households’ financial situation also improved to -2 from -4. However, saving capacity rose to 19 from 14 in May, suggesting households expect to build up more savings despite still-cautious sentiment.