It was moreover 10.9 points above the long-term average, according to the Statistics Office.

The monthly rise was fuelled above all by a 1.9-point improvement in the consumer confidence index and a 1-point improvement in the index measuring confidence in manufacturing, shows data released by the office on Tuesday.

Confidence also improved in retail (by 0.5 percentage points) and in construction (by 0.1 point).

The annual rise was brought about by a 3.3-point rise in the consumer confidence index and the improved confidence in the services sector (+2.7 points).

The confidence indexes in manufacturing and retail were up by 2.4 points and 0.3 points, respectively.

The consumer confidence indicator in construction was meanwhile down 0.2 points.