The June 2026 release of the Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI), published by the European Commission, showed sentiment strengthening to 95.1 (+1.3) in the EU and 95.0 (+1.3) in the euro area, a three-month high in both cases.
The rise in the ESI was broad-based, with improvements across all major sectors except construction, suggesting a modest strengthening in economic momentum despite continued weakness in hiring intentions.
Services confidence edged higher, supported by improved demand expectations, while views on recent demand and business conditions were little changed. Consumer confidence continued to recover from its March-April slump, reflecting less pessimism about both the economic outlook and household finances, alongside modest improvements in spending intentions. Retail confidence also strengthened, driven by better assessments of recent trading conditions and inventories, despite slightly weaker business expectations. In contrast, construction confidence declined further as employment expectations weakened, while order books remained broadly stable.
You can download the EC report and statistical annex from their website at https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/economic-forecast-and-surveys/business-and-consumer-surveys/download-business-and-consumer-survey-data/press-releases_en (open the 2026 box) or you can request it from MTA.