Eurozone, EU Consumer Confidence Hits Multi-Year Lows

Consumer confidence fell sharply in April 2025 across the eurozone and key EU countries, reaching lows not seen since late 2022 or early 2023. The European Commission’s flash estimate shows eurozone confidence dropped by 2.2 points to -16.7, with EU-wide sentiment at -16.0. Belgium’s confidence slid to -14, its lowest since the Ukraine war and energy crisis, while Denmark’s index fell to -17, the weakest since April 2023. The decline is attributed to escalating global trade tensions and new US tariffs, fueling pessimism about economic and household prospects. Despite these drops, concerns about unemployment and inflation have eased slightly in some countries. The IMF has revised its global and European growth forecasts downward, and equity indices have also declined, underscoring persistent economic uncertainty in the region.