Euro area confidence returning

Economic confidence in the euro area declined less than economists expected thanks to a solid service sector, suggesting the trade war-induced slide in sentiment over the past year may be bottoming out.

The European Commission’s index - which assesses the mood of households and businesses - dropped to 106.1 in February from a revised 106.3 the month before. That’s the eighth consecutive monthly drop, though the pace slowed after sharp declines around the ...