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Indicator Digest

Business Confidence
Business Confidence measures the mood of domestic firms, usually using surveys that ask questions about their current conditions, and future expectations. By measuring businesses' optimism/pessimism economists get clues as to the future levels of sales, hiring and investment by these companies, and the overall economy.

Main Indicator: ZEW Economic Sentiment

Most Recent Release

March
16th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
37.9 40.1 40.2 N/A

For February
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -61.3, pr. -62.5 (Jan), -67.8 (Dec), -70.3 (Nov),
-75.4 (Oct), -77.9 (Sep), -82.1 (Aug), -90.7 (Jul), -93.2 (May),
-93.0 (Apr), -90.7 (Mar), -91.0 (Feb), -84.7 (Jan), -71.2 (Dec)

Table of Past Data

5/197/148/189/1510/1311/1012/151/192/163/16
Actual28.539.554.959.656.951.848.046.440.237.9
Forecast14.344.244.659.060.158.950.048.242.640.1
Previous11.842.739.554.959.656.951.848.046.440.2
Revised FromN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A

Secondary Indicator: Business Climate Indicator

Most Recent Release

January
7th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-1.22 -1.43 -1.53 N/A

For December
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area improved further in December – its ninth consecutive monthly increase. But it remains at a low level, suggesting that year-on-year growth in industrial production was still negative in November. The significant increase in the BCI reflects an across-the-board improvement in managers' assessments: the perception of the production trend observed in recent months and order books went up strongly, while the rise in export order books and production expectations were not as pronounced. The declining level of stocks confirmed further destocking."

Table of Past Data

1/81/292/263/304/295/286/299/2910/291/7
Actual-3.17-3.16-3.51-3.58-3.33-3.17-2.97-2.07-1.78-1.22
Forecast-2.8-3.50-3.20-3.48-3.53-3.10-3.00-1.99-1.9-1.43
Previous-2.14-3.09-3.03-3.40-3.58-3.26-3.11-2.18-2.07-1.53
Revised FromN/A-3.17-3.16N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A

Past Releases

ZEW Economic Sentiment
February
16th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
40.2 42.6 46.4 N/A

For February
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -62.1, pr. -62.5 (Jan), -67.8 (Dec),
-70.3 (Nov), -75.4 (Oct), -77.9 (Sep), -82.1 (Aug), -90.7 (Jul),
-93.2 (May), -93.0 (Apr), -90.7 (Mar), -91.0 (Feb), -84.7 (Jan)

ZEW Economic Sentiment
January
19th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
46.4 48.2 48.0 N/A

For January
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -62.5, pr. -67.8, -70.3 (Nov), -75.4 (Oct),
-77.9 (Sep), -82.1 (Aug), -90.7 (Jul), -93.2 (May), -93.0 (Apr),
-90.7 (Mar), -91.0 (Feb), -84.7 (Jan), -71.2 (Dec), -58.9 (Nov)

ZEW Economic Sentiment
December
15th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
48.0 50.0 51.8 N/A

For December
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -67.8, pr. -70.3 (Nov), -75.4 (Oct), -77.9 (Sep),
-82.1 (Aug), -90.7 (Jul), -93.2 (May), -93.0 (Apr), -90.7 (Mar),
-91.0 (Feb), -84.7 (Jan), -71.2 (Dec), -58.9 (Nov), -44.7 (Oct)

ZEW Economic Sentiment
November
10th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
51.8 58.9 56.9 N/A

For November
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -70.3, pr. -75.4 (Oct), -77.9 (Sep), -82.1 (Aug),
-90.7 (Jul), -93.2 (May), -93.0 (Apr), -90.7 (Mar), -91.0 (Feb),
-84.7 (Jan), -71.2 (Dec), -58.9 (Nov), -44.7 (Oct)

Business Climate Indicator
October
29th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-1.78 -1.9 -2.07 N/A
For October
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF
ZEW Economic Sentiment
October
13th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
56.9 60.1 59.6 N/A

For October
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -75.4, pr. -77.9 (Sep), -82.1 (Aug), -90.7 (Jul),
-93.2 (May), -93.0 (Apr), -90.7 (Mar), -91.0 (Feb), -84.7 (Jan),
-71.2 (Dec), -58.9 (Nov), -44.7 (Oct)

Business Climate Indicator
September
29th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-2.07 -1.99 -2.18 N/A
For September
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF
ZEW Economic Sentiment
September
15th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
59.6 59.0 54.9 N/A

For September
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -77.9, pr. -82.1 (Aug), -90.7 (Jul), -93.2 (May),
-93.0 (Apr), -90.7 (Mar), -91.0 (Feb), -84.7 (Jan), -71.2 (Dec),
-58.9 (Nov), -44.7 (Oct)

ZEW Economic Sentiment
August
18th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
54.9 44.6 39.5 N/A

For August
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -82.1, -90.7 (Jul), -93.2 (May), -93.0 (Apr),
-90.7 (Mar), -91.0 (Feb), -84.7 (Jan), -71.2 (Dec), -58.9 (Nov),
-44.7 (Oct)

ZEW Economic Sentiment
July
14th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
39.5 44.2 42.7 N/A
for May
Business Climate Indicator
June
29th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-2.97 -3.00 -3.11 N/A

For June
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area increased slightly in June. However, the level is still far below the previous historical lows of 1993. This suggests that year-on-year industrial production growth will still have been negative in May and will remain subdued in June.

The rise in the BCI reflects an overall easing, except for conditions related to order books. Managers' production expectations continued to improve in June, and their perception of the production trend observed in recent months increased significantly. Managers' opinion of stocks of finished goods also continued to improve. In contrast, both order books and export order books continued to worsen, reaching new record lows."

Business Climate Indicator
May
28th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-3.17 -3.10 -3.26 N/A

For May
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area again increased in May, albeit at a slower pace than in April. This is the first improvement sustained over two consecutive months since May 2008. The indicator nevertheless remained at a very low level, suggesting that year-on-year industrial production growth will have been negative in April and will remain distinctly subdued in May.

The rise in the BCI reflects an improving situation in the underlying components, except for those related to order books. Managers' production expectations and view of the production trend observed in recent months continued to pick up in May. Managers' assessment of stocks of finished goods also showed an improvement on last month's level, though order books and export order books slightly worsened."

ZEW Economic Sentiment
May
19th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
28.5 14.3 11.8 N/A

For May
Provided by: ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Official Release: Press Release

Current Conditions: -93.2, pr. -93.0 (Apr), -90.7 (Mar), -91.0 (Feb),
-84.7 (Jan), -71.2 (Dec), -58.9 (Nov), -44.7 (Oct), -10 (Sep)

From the Release: "The economic expectations for the euro zone increased in May by 16.7 points compared to the previous month. The respective indicator now stands at 28.5 points. The indicator for the current economic situation in the euro zone remains almost unchanged on a very low level. The corresponding indicator dropped by 0.2 points to minus 93.2 points."

Business Climate Indicator
April
29th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-3.33 -3.53 -3.58 N/A

For April
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area increased in April. This is the first improvement since May 2008. The indicator nevertheless remained at a very low level, pointing to another negative outcome for year-on-year industrial production growth in March, after the record fall registered in February. Given the current levels, it also suggests that annual industrial production growth will remain clearly subdued in April.

The rise in the BCI reflects an improving situation in most of its underlying components. Managers' production expectations picked up clearly in April, while the production trend observed in recent months improved only slightly. Their assessment of current overall order books and stocks of finished goods recovered marginally from last month's level, though export order books continued to worsen."

Business Climate Indicator
March
30th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-3.58 -3.48 -3.40 N/A

For March
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area fell again in March, to its lowest level since January 1985. It points to another markedly negative outcome for year-on-year industrial production growth in February, after the record fall registered in January. Given the current levels, it also suggests that industrial production growth will remain clearly subdued in March.

The drop in the BCI reflects a worsening situation in most of its underlying components. Managers' assessment of current overall order books and export order books deteriorated even further from last month's level. Stocks of finished goods have again risen towards December's record highs, while the production trend observed in recent months improved only marginally from a very low level. Looking forward, managers remain very negative about their production expectations outlook."

Business Climate Indicator
February
26th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-3.51 -3.20 -3.03 -3.16

For February
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area fell significantly in February to yet another low, reaching its lowest point since January 1985. It confirms the expectation that the outcome of the year-on-year industrial production growth for January will be markedly negative, following on from the sharp fall already recorded in December 2008. It also suggests that annual industrial production growth will remain clearly negative in February 2009.

The drop in the BCI reflects a general deterioration in most of its underlying components. Managers' assessment of the current overall order books and export order books is increasingly negative. Managers also reported a sharp fall in the production trend observed in recent months, while the stocks of finished goods stabilised – though at a very high level – and production expectations remained broadly stable."

Business Climate Indicator
January
29th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-3.16 -3.50 -3.09 -3.17

For January
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area fell again in January, though marginally so, and reached its lowest since January 1985. The latest BCI confirms the expectation that the outcome of the year-on-year industrial production growth for December will also be markedly negative, after the sharp fall recorded in November 2008. The indicator suggests that annual industrial production growth will be clearly negative in January 2009.

The drop in the BCI reflects a general deterioration in its underlying components; however, the downward development in the components was less dramatic than in the past three months. Managers report a deteriorating production trend and worsening order books. Looking ahead, they expect production to decline even further. On the positive side, the stocks of finished goods component improved somewhat in January."

Business Climate Indicator
January
8th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-3.17 -2.8 -2.14 N/A

For December
Provided by: European Commission
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area fell more markedly this month than last and reached its lowest level since January 1985. The continued steep decline of the indicator signals a deteriorating trend in year-on-year industrial production growth, which is likely to turn out clearly negative in the fourth quarter.

All five underlying components of the BCI deteriorated. Managers reported a sharp fall in the production trend observed in recent months while stocks of finished goods increased. Their assessment of the current overall order books and export order books is increasingly negative. Looking ahead, production expectations in the euro area worsened notably compared to last month and are now at their lowest level since 1985."