In Italy, the Manufacturing Confidence Index covers 4,000 Italian companies. The questionnaire focuses on the current trend of order books, production and inventories, short-term forecasts on order books, production, prices and the general economic situation. The business confidence index is adjusted for seasonal effects and fixed to a base year of 2005. The value 100 indicates no evolution in business sentiment, a value over 100 shows increasing confidence and a value under 100 indicates low expectations.
A higher than expected figure should be seen as positive (bullish) for the EUR while a lower than expected figure should be seen as negative (bearish) for the EUR.