COVID has sown economic fear, say 68% of Italians

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 9 - The coronavirus has left a legacy of fear for the economic future among almost 68% of Italians, think tank CENSIS said Thursday.
    It said some 67.8% of Italians are fearful over their economic prospects.
    The percentage rises to 72% among millennials and women.
    It is 75% in the poorer south of Italy.
    The percentage of businessmen with such fears was more than 76%.
    It reaches 82.6% among the lowest earners.
    In other findings, CENSIS said 38.9% of Italians saved more during lockdown.
    Some 28 million people with income saw their income cut, 71.2% of the total, CENSIS said.
    There was, however, a liquidity boom totalling 34.4 billion euros between February and April.
    This figure is almost equal to what Italy would get if it tapped into the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) bailout fund for COVID-related spending. (ANSA).