The good performance of the Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) and the Business Climate Indicator (BCI) continues. The two indicators are calculated on the basis of surveys conducted at the European level on the opinion and confidence of various production sectors with regard to the trends of the EU economy and the quality of the financial environment (employment and price trends are excluded). In May and June both indicators reached the highest level of the last six years, thanks especially to the growth in confidence in the industrial sector linked to the boom of European economic activity in comparison with major international competitors. Yet this was despite the weakening ESI and BCI in the service sector, retailing and among consumers. Spain, Portugal and the UK registered the highest increases, whereas a slight drop was registered in Italy, France and Germany.
