Business, consumer confidence drops in January

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 28 - Italian business and consumer confidence dropped in January with the business confidence index falling to a nine-month low, ISTAT said in preliminary estimates Friday.
    Consumer confidence fell from 117.7 to 114.2 while business confidence fell from 112.7 to 105.4.
    Stats agency ISTAT said the fall in the business confidence index was "determined by the sudden drop in confidence in the market service sector, where the transport and warehousing sectors and that of tourist services registered strong falls".
    It said "the only positive signs come from retail, with judgements on sales in slight improvement, and the construction sector". (ANSA).