The European Commission's Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) for the euro area recorded a slight increase by 0.1 percentage point in December, reaching a value of 98.5.
The ESI reflects general economic activity of the EU.
By contrast, in the EU, the indicator fell for a second time in December by 0.2 percentage points, reaching 98.8, after having stabilised at 99.2 between August and October.
As in previous months, differences among the components were pronounced. The industrial confidence indicator increased in the euro area but remained unchanged in the EU.
The economic sentiment indicator rose in France (0.6 percentage points), Germany (0.3) and Portugal (0.1). It remained unchanged in Austria and Sweden.
The indicator decreased in Belgium (0.8), Britain (0.6), Greece and Finland (0.5), Ireland and Italy (0.4), The Netherlands (0.3), and Denmark and Spain (0.1).