The index measuring services confidence in the Euro Area fell by 1.8 points from the previous month to 5 in February of 2026, firmly below market expectations that it would improve to 7.5, to mark the lowest magnitude of confidence in four months. Firms dimmed their expectations on the evolution of demand in the upcoming three months (9.8 vs 11.1 in January), in line with a moderation in the evolution of employment in the upcoming three months (0.2 vs 1.2). The pullback in expectations matched a deterioration in the evolution of demand in the last three months (5.7 vs 8.8) as the assessment of business situation swung to the negative territory (-0.5 vs 0.5). In turn, selling price expectations eased for a second month (13.9 vs 14.1).
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Euro Area Services Sentiment Deteriorates
The index measuring services confidence in the Euro Area fell by 1.8 points from the previous month to 5 in February of 2026, firmly below market expectations that it would improve to 7.5, to mark the lowest magnitude of confidence in four months. Firms dimmed their expectations on the evolution of demand in the upcoming three months (9.8 vs 11.1 in January), in line with a moderation in the evolution of employment in the upcoming three months (0.2 vs 1.2). The pullback in expectations matched a deterioration in the evolution of demand in the last three months (5.7 vs 8.8) as the assessment of business situation swung to the negative territory (-0.5 vs 0.5). In turn, selling price expectations eased for a second month (13.9 vs 14.1).