Eurozone consumer confidence increases in September

Eurozone households are feeling more confident about the economic situation, according to a key European Commission survey released on Thursday afternoon.

Consumer sentiment inched higher to -1.2 in September from the -1.5 in August that the most analysts expected to persist for another month.

This was a 'flash' survey of the headline index, with further details to be released next week.

"Headline consumer sentiment in the Eurozone continues to signal robust growth in retail sales and consumers’ spending," said economist Claus Vistesen at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

"Financial conditions remain accommodative, unemployment is falling rapidly and overall growth is improving. In other words; EZ households see nothing but upside at the moment, which usually is a good short-term indicator for growth in retail sales."