Belgium Consumer Mood Falls in August

The consumer confidence indicator in Belgium fell to -10 in September 2026 from -7 in August, marking the seventh consecutive month of negative readings and the lowest level since May. The decline was mainly driven by more pessimistic expectations for the broader economy, with the assessment of the economic situation worsening to -41 from -32. Households also reduced their saving intentions, with the indicator falling to 20 from 22. Meanwhile, expectations for unemployment remained unchanged at 16, while perceptions of households’ financial situation were steady at -2 for a fourth consecutive month.

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.