The Central Bank’s surveys of business perceptions, published with the Quarterly Review last week, shows that all three areas surveyed – services, industries and consumers – reported increased optimism during the third quarter of the year.

The Central Bank’s survey of 160 firms, mainly providers of services, showed increased output, profits and employment during the third quarter and anticipates further growth in turnover in the last quarter of the year.

According to a survey conducted by the European Commission, optimism improved in the manufacturing sector during the second quarter of the year. The seasonally-adjusted measure of industrial confidence climbed from one in March to 10 in June. This reflected improved order books and, to a lesser extent, higher production levels.

More recent data on industrial confidence, the Review said, indicate that the unadjusted index rose further in July but declined in the following two months, although sentiment remained positive.

Consumer confidence too improved during the second quarter of the year, with the seasonally-unadjusted index of consumer confidence in Malta published by the European Commission going up by 15 points to -13.

The seasonally-adjusted measure showed a more moderate pick-up, with the index rising 12 points over the quarter to -17 in June.