Eurozone Economic Sentiment Plummets in March

2026-03-30 09:10 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) dropped to 96.6 in March 2026, down from a revised 98.2 in February and missing market forecasts of 96.8.

The decline was fueled by rising inflation expectations tied to the Middle East conflict, with consumer confidence plunging (-16.3 vs. -12.3) as inflation fears surged 17.2 points to 43.4, the highest since July 2022.

Retailer sentiment also weakened (-7.2 vs. -5.2), while service sector confidence held steady (4.9 vs. 5.0).

Manufacturers saw a slight improvement (-7.0 vs. -7.2), though their selling price expectations jumped 7.4 points to 19.7, the highest in three years.

Construction sentiment edged up (-2.0 vs. -2.2).

Among major economies, the ESI fell sharply in France (-3.7) and Spain (-2.4), with notable declines in the Netherlands (-1.5) and Italy (-1.3), while Germany remained stable (-0.1).



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Eurozone Economic Sentiment Plummets in March
The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) dropped to 96.6 in March 2026, down from a revised 98.2 in February and missing market forecasts of 96.8. The decline was fueled by rising inflation expectations tied to the Middle East conflict, with consumer confidence plunging (-16.3 vs. -12.3) as inflation fears surged 17.2 points to 43.4, the highest since July 2022. Retailer sentiment also weakened (-7.2 vs. -5.2), while service sector confidence held steady (4.9 vs. 5.0). Manufacturers saw a slight improvement (-7.0 vs. -7.2), though their selling price expectations jumped 7.4 points to 19.7, the highest in three years. Construction sentiment edged up (-2.0 vs. -2.2). Among major economies, the ESI fell sharply in France (-3.7) and Spain (-2.4), with notable declines in the Netherlands (-1.5) and Italy (-1.3), while Germany remained stable (-0.1).
2026-03-30
Eurozone Economic Sentiment Slips in February
The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) fell to 98.3 in February 2026, down from a three-year high of 99.3 in January and below market expectations of 99.8. Sentiment weakened among service providers (5.0 vs 6.8), manufacturers (-7.1 vs -6.8), and construction firms (-2.1 vs -1.3). Consumer confidence (-12.2 vs -12.4) and retailer sentiment (-4.5 vs -5.7) showed modest improvement. Among major economies, the ESI declined sharply in France (-2.8), followed by Italy (-0.6), while remaining broadly stable in Spain (±0.0), Germany (-0.2), and Netherlands (-0.2). On the pricing front, consumer inflation expectations rose 1.6 points to 25.8, while manufacturers’ selling price expectations increased 1.2 points to 11.5, highlighting ongoing inflationary pressures.
2026-02-26
Eurozone Economic Sentiment Hits 3-Year High
The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) climbed to 99.4 in January 2026, up 2.2 points from a revised 97.2 in December and well above market expectations of 97.0, marking its highest level since January 2023. Sentiment among service providers rose to 7.2, the strongest since January 2024, while manufacturers’ confidence improved to -6.8, the best reading since May 2023. Consumer confidence also strengthened, reaching -12.4, its highest since February 2025. On the pricing front, consumer inflation expectations eased 2.6 points to 24.1, and manufacturers’ selling price expectations fell 0.8 points to 10. Among the bloc’s largest economies, the ESI rose in France (+5.8), Germany (+3.0), the Netherlands (+2.3), Spain (+1.7), and Italy (+1.3).
2026-01-29