--March Index: 121.2
--February Index: 119.5
--January Index: 120.4

By Giorgio Schiavoni
ROME (MktNews) - Italian consumer confidence better than expected in March, posting its highest reading since August 2000, according to the latest survey published Thursday by the government funded think-tank ISAE.
March's composite index, which is not seasonally adjusted, stood at 121.2 compared with 119.5 in February, 120.4 in January and 119.4 in December. The survey is carried out in the first 15 days of the reference month.
All analysts contacted by Market News International had expected March confidence to ease from February's level, mainly as a consequence of seasonal factors and uncertainties over political and economic prospects, with a general election scheduled for May 13, and clear signs of an international growth slowdown.
The median projection envisaged an index level of 118, with forecasts ranging from 114 to 119.
The March survey showed a slight improvement in confidence for almost all of the main forward-looking components of the index. The only fall was in the prospects for families' personal finances.
March's unexpected rise is due to "the generalized positive evaluations on the overall economic situation and of somewhat more positive assessments of households' (current) economic conditions," ISAE said in its report.
More respondents now expect the economy to be in better shape in 12 months time than those expecting it to be worse, while the number of consumers forecasting that inflation will slow over the next 12 months is at its highest level since April 2000.
The balance of respondents judging that now is a good time to buy durable goods -- seen by some economists as the best indicator of near-term consumer spending -- also climbed, to reach its highest reading since August last year.