“According to recent data, which is still insufficient to draw a complete and reliable picture, economic activity would struggle to regain momentum in the run-up to this year”. This was said by the Deputy Head of the Economy and Statistics Department of the Bank of Italy, Andrea Brandolini, who was heard on the maneuver by the House and Senate Joint Budget Committees. “The worsening of household ratings,” he emphasizes, “reflects concern about the country's current and future economic situation. For businesses, in a context of underutilization of plants, the decline in orders and expectations on production dampens economic activity”. According to the Bank of Italy's survey of inflation and growth expectations, “assessments of conditions for investing remain negative. Looking ahead, lower interest rates and the recovery of household purchasing power may provide a positive boost to the economy. In light of the new data, however, in the absence of a significant acceleration in economic activity in the final part of this year, the output growth foreshadowed in the Medium-Term Fiscal Structural Plan for 2024-25 appears more difficult to achieve”.