FX.co ★ Eurozone Economic Sentiment Slips in February

The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) declined to 98.3 in February 2026, down from a three-year high of 99.3 in January and falling short of market expectations of 99.8. Confidence weakened among manufacturers (-7.1 vs -6.8), service providers (5.0 vs 6.8), and construction firms (-2.1 vs -1.3). By contrast, consumer confidence (-12.2 vs -12.4) and retailer sentiment (-4.5 vs -5.7) registered slight improvements. Among the largest economies, the ESI fell in France (-2.8) and Italy (-0.6), while remaining broadly unchanged in Spain (±0.0), Germany (-0.2), and the Netherlands (-0.2). On the pricing side, consumer inflation expectations rose by 1.6 points to 25.8, and manufacturers’ selling price expectations increased by 1.2 points to 11.5, underscoring persistent inflationary pressures.