The European Commission (EC) said on Friday its flash estimate showed the consumer confidence indicator for the Eurozone decreased by 0.8 points to -8.1 in December from the previous month.

Economists had expected the index to improve to -7.0.

Considering the European Union (EU) as a whole, consumer sentiment fell by 0.3 points to -7.0.

Despite these declines, both indicators remain on a broadly horizontal trajectory well above their respective long-term averages of -10.6 (Eurozone) and -9.9 (EU), the report said.