The Czech consumer confidence indicator shed 1.2 points to 100.4 in December, remaining just above its long-term average. The business confidence indicator decreased by 0.4 points to 96.9 in the same month, with the country’s underperforming industry proving the main drag. Both indicators came in below market expectations.
The share of consumers expecting the overall economic situation in Czechia to worsen over the next 12 months has increased slightly, and the proportion of consumers who believe that the current period is not appropriate for large purchases has increased. In contrast, the number of households assessing their current financial situation as worse than in the previous year fell slightly.
When looking at the business domain, confidence picked up again in the service sector (+1.5 points) and slightly in trade (+0.4 points). Meanwhile, the mood in industry dropped by 2.4 points to 88.5 in December, setting a clear downward trend. Confidence in the construction sector remained unchanged at an elevated level, reflecting the recent upswing in demand for residential property.