Business confidence down, consumer confidence up - Istat

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 26 - Business confidence fell this month, but consumer confidence rose, national statistics bureau Istat said on Friday.
    Business confidence dropped for the fourth consecutive month in July, from 94.5 to 94.2, according to Istat.
    On the other hand, consumer confidence has continued to grow "without interruption since last May," with the index rising from 98.3 to 98.9 in July, reaching its highest level since February 2022.
    Business confidence fell "for the fourth consecutive month, below the average of the past 12 months.
    The business index drop was attributed by Istat to the worsening situation of the construction sector and, in particular, "market services".
    Istat also said Friday that 4.7 million workers were waiting for their job contract to be renewed at the end of June.
    Meanwhile, the average hourly wage between January and June 2024 rose 3.1% compared to the same period last year, the national statistics agency said. (ANSA).