Euro area consumer confidence weakens in February

Consumer confidence in the single currency bloc deteriorated in February, the European Union's executive arm said.

The European Commission's consumer confidence index dropped 1.4 points from a reading of -4.8 for January to -6.2 for February.

Economists had penciled in a reading of -4.9.

An equivalent gauge for the whole of the EU weakened by 0.9 points to -5.2.