Italian business and consumer confidence fell in December but by less than expected, remaining near recent highs, data from the central statistics office Istat showed Tuesday.
In a sign that a modest economic recovery may continue into 2016, the consumer confidence index dropped to 117.6 in December from 118.4 in November. Economists had expected the index to fall to 117.0.
The index measuring manufacturing confidence dipped slightly to 104.1 in December from 104.4 the previous month. It had been expected to remain stable.
The overall business confidence index also worsened to 105.8 in December from 107.1 a month earlier but stayed close to recent highs.
It was the first time in five months that the consumer confidence in the eurozone's third largest economy weakened.
The confidence indexes were the first to be compiled since the jihadist attack in Paris killed 130 people and injured over 360 on 13 November.
