Eurozone Consumer Confidence Worsens in September

2026-09-29 09:11 By Luisa Carvalho 1 min. read

Consumer confidence in the Euro Area weakened to -16.5 in September 2026, from a six-month high of -15.5 in August, confirming the preliminary estimate.

The decline ended a four-month streak of improvement, as elevated energy costs linked to the prolonged Middle East conflict fuelled concerns about inflation and the interest-rate outlook.

Euro area inflation has exceeded the 2% target since the Iran war began and is not expected to return to the ECB's goal until late 2027, keeping up pressure on the central bank to lift interest rates while households contend with a squeeze on purchasing power.

The deterioration was broad-based, with all four components weakening, including views on households’ past and future financial situation, expectations for the domestic economic outlook, and intentions to make major purchases.

Sentiment also waned across the European Union, with the index slipping to -15.8 from -15.0 in August.



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Eurozone Consumer Confidence Worsens in September
Consumer confidence in the Euro Area weakened to -16.5 in September 2026, from a six-month high of -15.5 in August, confirming the preliminary estimate. The decline ended a four-month streak of improvement, as elevated energy costs linked to the prolonged Middle East conflict fuelled concerns about inflation and the interest-rate outlook. Euro area inflation has exceeded the 2% target since the Iran war began and is not expected to return to the ECB's goal until late 2027, keeping up pressure on the central bank to lift interest rates while households contend with a squeeze on purchasing power. The deterioration was broad-based, with all four components weakening, including views on households’ past and future financial situation, expectations for the domestic economic outlook, and intentions to make major purchases. Sentiment also waned across the European Union, with the index slipping to -15.8 from -15.0 in August.
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Eurozone Consumer Confidence Weaker than Expected
Consumer confidence in the Euro Area fell to -16.5 in September 2026 from -15.5 in August and worse than market forecasts of -16, according to flash estimates. This puts an end to a four-month streak of improvement, which had lifted the index to a six-month high, likely influenced by heightened geopolitical uncertainty and inflation concerns. Sentiment also weakened across the broader European Union, with the index falling to -15.8 from -15 in the previous month.
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Euro Area Consumer Confidence at 6-Month High
Consumer confidence in the euro area edged up to -15.5 in August 2026 from -15.9 in July, in line with the preliminary estimate. The increase marked the fourth consecutive monthly improvement, bringing confidence to its highest level since February. Sentiment across the broader European Union strengthened marginally, with the index rising to -15 from -15.1. Consumers were somewhat less pessimistic about their household’s future and past financial situation. However, the improvement was tempered by weaker spending intentions, with consumers less inclined to make major purchases over the next 12 months, while their expectations for the broader economic outlook also deteriorated.
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