There are some positive signs. In Italy, according to Istat data published this morning, “the manufacturing sector has shown slight improvements while households have increased their savings. Consumer prices have started to rise again after seven months. Furthermore, the revision of the GDP in the second quarter led to an upward correction of the cyclical variation of gross fixed investments, which came to +0,2% (compared to -0,3% in the previous estimate)”.
However, "the most recent data on the Italian economy outline a scenario of persistent weakness in the levels of economic activity". The Institute explains that the so-called composite economy anticipatory index “marks the eighth consecutive negative change in the last month. In September, the consumer confidence climate marked the second consecutive decline”.
And, according to the note from the Institute of Statistics, if "companies' expectations have improved", they do not go beyond the "levels of last June". All this in an international context where "the phase of deceleration of world trade and the slowdown of economic activity in the euro area continues".
