Expectations for the European economy strongly intensified in June 2020, reflecting a wave of optimism in retail after the coronavirus lockdown was relaxed, a European Commission report showed on Monday.

In Croatia, the Economic Sentiment Indicator increased 5.8 points from May to 84.8. In June, the ESI increased for the second month in a row after a record low in April, at the height of the pandemic.

Retail trade confidence recorded the highest increase, by 13 points from May. Services confidence went up by 7.6 points, consumer confidence by 5.9, construction confidence by 5.7 and industry confidence by 2.4 points.

The Employment Expectations Indicator increased by 3.6 points in June, down from the 9.7 point increase in May.

In the EU, ESI increased by 8.1 points to 74.8 in June. Retail trade confidence increased by 9.9 points, services confidence by 8, industry confidence by 6 and construction confidence by 5 points.

Consumer confidence in the EU went up 3.9 points and the Employment Expectations Indicator by 11.9 points.