Press Release: February 2006: Economic sentiment continues to improve in both the EU and the euro area

The upward trend of the Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) that had begun in the summer of 2005 continued in February 2006. Compared with January, the indicator improved by a robust 1.8 points in the EU and by 1.2 points in the euro area. In both areas, the indicator was now considerably above its long term average.