The article entitled The main results of the fourth wave of the Special Survey of Italian Households, written by researchers from the Bank of Italy, is now online.
Between the end of February and the beginning of March 2021, before the new containment measures, the Bank of Italy conducted the fourth edition of the Special Survey of Italian Households to collect information on the effects of the Covid-19 epidemic on the economic situation and on the expectations of households.
Households' expectations on the outlook for the economy and the labor market improved; however, the health emergency is not expected to be overcome in the short term. Almost a third of households reported having suffered a decline in income in the last month; the worsening of income conditions is mitigated by income support measures. Consumption behaviors continue to be affected by the health emergency: for households with difficulty in making ends meets, the contraction mainly depends on lower economic resources; for those under less financial strain, it is above all due to the containment measures and the fear of infection. A significant share of households saved in 2020: only one third of the savings put aside last year would be spent in 2021.
