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Description
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Survey on consumer confidence is part of the joint harmonized EU program of business and consumer surveys (European Commission Decision C(97) 2241, 15 July 1997 and Communication of European Commission COM(2006) 379, 12 July 2006 and it is cofinanced by the European Commission. Since 1982 the survey is carried out monthly on a representative sample of the Italian adult population. Information are collected in the first 15 days of the month, using telephone interviews with the CATI (Computer assisted telephone interviewing) technique. Sample size is of about 2000 units, with two stages, in proportion to the universe of the Italian adult population and stratified by geographical area and size of municipality of residence. List used corresponds to telephone subscribers; the reporting unit is the telephone subscriber (unit of first stage, randomly selected within the layer), the sample unit is the consumer (unit of second stage), being an adult belonging to the family identified by the telephone number. The selection technique used is a systematic random in the first stage and a quota sampling in the second stage. The questionnaire for the telephone interview includes structural information as well as other questions, mainly qualitative, on the general economic situation in the country and on the personal situation of the respondent. Opinions are expressed as assessment concerning the recent past (last 12 months) or as expectations about short-term future (next 12 months). In particular this survey includes monthly questions on the following aspects: assessments and expectations on the Italian economic situation; expectations on unemployment; assessment and expectations on household's economic situation; assessment on household's financial situation; assessment and expections about inflation; present opportunity and future possibility of savings; present opportunity and future possibility of durable purchases. On quarterly basis (i.e. in January, April, July and October) information are collected on the intentions to buy a new car within the next 12 months; to purchase or to make extraordinary repairs to the dwelling within the next 12 months. Confidence climate index, defined as aritmetical average of nine balances, is a synthetic indicator of all results and it aims at evaluating level of optimism and pessimism among Italian consumers. It can be broken down in personal and economic climates or, alternatively, in present and future climates. These indicators are expressed as index. Starting from January 2021, estimation process adopts the calibration estimator. The series of percentage fequencies of reply options, those of balances and climates were estimated again starting from January, 1998.
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