Footnotes

The business surveys are co-financed by the European Commission.
However, the European Commission accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the material published in this document.

Linked content:
- Methodological explanations
- Methodological explanations

ECONOMIC INDICATOR

Sentiment indicator

is a weighted indicator of the confidence indicators in:
- manufacturing (40%),
- services (30%),
- consumer confidence indicator (20%),
- retail trade (5%),
- construction (5%).

Sentiment indicator

Until March 2002 the sentiment indicator was calculated only from the confidence indicators in manufacturing and retail trade and the consumer confidence indicator. From April 2002 also the confidence indicators in construction and services have been included in the calculation of the sentiment indicator.

Confidence indicator in manufacturing

is an average of balances to questions on production expectation, overall order books and stocks of finished products (the latter with inverted sign).

Confidence indicator in retail trade

is an average of balances to questions on sales, expected sales and volume of stock (the letter with inverted sign).

Consumer confidence indicator

is an average of balances, calculated from answers to the questions about the current household financial situation, the expected household financial situation, the expected general economic situation in the country and the expectations for major purchases.

Confidence indicator in services

is an average of balances to questions on business situation, and present and expected demand.

Confidence indicator in construction

is an average of balances to questions on overall order books assessments and employment expectations.