2020.09.2109:42:00UTC+00Belgium Consumer Confidence Rebound Strongly To 7-month High

Belgium's consumer confidence rebounded strongly in September to its highest level in seven months amid improvement in all its components, survey data from the National Bank of Belgium showed on Monday.

The consumer confidence index rose to -16 from -26 in August. The latest reading is the strongest since March roughly at the start of the coronavirus, or Covid-19, outbreak in Europe.

The index weakened in each of the previous two months.

Belgians were more optimistic regarding the general economic outlook for the next twelve months. The economic expectations index of the survey shot up to -20 from -38 in the previous month.

The measure reflecting the financial expectations of households turned positive to 2 from -1 in August. The index showing their saving intentions rose to 17, which was the highest in at least the past 12 months.

For the first time since the Covid-19 crisis, households gave a less unfavorable opinion on the outlook for unemployment. The corresponding indicator fell to 62 from 77. A decline in the index suggests improvement in the assessment of the unemployment outlook.