BRUSSELS (AFX) - The euro zone's economic sentiment indicator fell 0.6 points to 102.2 in March from 102.8 in February, and was down 2.3 points from 104.5 a year earlier, the European Commission said in its March business and consumer survey.
In the EU the indicator fell 0.5 points to 102.2 in March from 102.7 in February, and was also down 2.3 points from a year earlier. In the euro zone, the industrial confidence indicator fell in March to minus 1 from 1 in February, the construction confidence and consumer confidence indicators both remained at minus 2, and the share price index fell to 259.2 from 279.6
In the EU, the industrial confidence indicator fell in March to minus 3 from 0 in February, the construction confidence indicator fell to minus 2 from minus 1, the consumer confidence indicator remained at minus, and the share price index fell to 245.4 from 265.0.
It noted industrial confidence declined because of a deterioration in production expectations, higher stock levels and lower order books. Consumer confidence, which fell a little in February, was steady in March "at levels that can be considered historically quite high", it said.
It added that its retail trade confidence indicator lost 4 points in both the euro zone and EU in March, falling back to December's level.