Consumer confidence in the Eurozone took an unexpected dip in March, falling to its lowest level in three months, according to flash estimates released by the European Commission on Friday.
The consumer confidence indicator for the Euro area fell to -14.5, down from -13.6 in February. The decline surprised analysts, who had anticipated an improvement to -13.0.
This latest reading marks the weakest sentiment since December, following a strong rise in February and a modest gain in January. The reversal suggests renewed uncertainty among households amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures, tight credit conditions, and geopolitical concerns.
Across the broader European Union, sentiment also weakened. The corresponding EU index declined by one point to -13.9, its lowest level since February 2023.
“Consumer confidence veered further away from its long-term average again,” the Commission noted in its preliminary report.
The flash data is based on surveys conducted between March 1 and March 20. The final results, including detailed data on economic sentiment, will be released on March 28.
