Eurozone Economic Sentiment Inches Up in May

2026-05-28 09:16 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) rose slightly to 93.5 in May 2026, remaining close to the over five-year low of 93.2 recorded in April but exceeding market expectations of 92.8.

Sentiment stayed weak, reflecting mounting concerns over the economic outlook amid the escalating Iran conflict.

Among sectors, confidence improved slightly for service providers (2.2 vs. 1.4 in April) and consumers (-19.0 vs. -20.6), but deteriorated further for manufacturers (-8.0 vs. -7.7), retailers (-10.9 vs. -10.0), and constructors (-3.6 vs. -2.8).

On the pricing front, consumer inflation expectations fell to 40.5 from a four-year high of 48.8, while manufacturers’ selling price expectations eased to 27.4 from April’s over three-year high of 30.2.

In the largest Eurozone economies, the ESI increased in Germany (+1.0) and France (+0.9), remained broadly stable in Italy (+0.1) and Spain (-0.1), and declined in the Netherlands (-0.9).



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Eurozone Economic Sentiment Inches Up in May
The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) rose slightly to 93.5 in May 2026, remaining close to the over five-year low of 93.2 recorded in April but exceeding market expectations of 92.8. Sentiment stayed weak, reflecting mounting concerns over the economic outlook amid the escalating Iran conflict. Among sectors, confidence improved slightly for service providers (2.2 vs. 1.4 in April) and consumers (-19.0 vs. -20.6), but deteriorated further for manufacturers (-8.0 vs. -7.7), retailers (-10.9 vs. -10.0), and constructors (-3.6 vs. -2.8). On the pricing front, consumer inflation expectations fell to 40.5 from a four-year high of 48.8, while manufacturers’ selling price expectations eased to 27.4 from April’s over three-year high of 30.2. In the largest Eurozone economies, the ESI increased in Germany (+1.0) and France (+0.9), remained broadly stable in Italy (+0.1) and Spain (-0.1), and declined in the Netherlands (-0.9).
2026-05-28
Eurozone Economic Sentiment Falls to Lowest Since 2020
The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) fell for the third consecutive month to 93.0 in April 2026, hitting its lowest level since November 2020 and missing market expectations of 95.2, reflecting growing concerns over the economic outlook, driven by the escalating Iran war. Sentiment worsened across all sectors, with the sharpest drops among consumers (-20.6 vs. -16.4 in March), service providers (0.9 vs. 4.1), and retailers (-9.9 vs. -7.6). Confidence also dipped for manufacturers (-7.7 vs. -7.0) and constructors (-2.4 vs. -2.1). Among the largest EU economies, the ESI fell notably in Germany (-3.9), France (-3.0), Italy (-2.8), and the Netherlands (-2.5), while Spain saw a more modest decline (-0.9). On the pricing front, consumer inflation expectations rose 5.6 points to 49.1, the highest level since April 2022, while manufacturers’ selling price expectations increased 10.2 points to an over three-year high of 31.1.
2026-04-29
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