Italy business and consumer confidence fall in September

ROME, Sept 30 (Reuters) - ‌Italian business ​and ​consumer confidence fell in September, data showed on Wednesday, in a negative sign ‌for the prospects of the euro zone's ⁠third largest economy.

• National statistics institute ISTAT's consumer confidence ‌index dropped to 91.2 ‌from 94.5 the previous month, far below a median forecast of 94.0 in a Reuters' ​poll of six analysts.

• ISTAT's composite business morale index, combining surveys of the manufacturing, ⁠retail, construction and services sectors, slipped to 95.9 against 97.0 in ​August.

• The sub-index for manufacturing, however, climbed to 91.9, above a median forecast of ​90.5, from 90.2 the ‌month before.

• Giorgia Meloni's government in April cut its economic growth outlook to ⁠0.6% for this year and next, reflecting surging energy prices and turmoil in the Middle East, ⁠from previous targets of 0.7% and 0.8% respectively.

• However, gross ​domestic product data in the first and second quarters came in stronger than expected, suggesting some economic resilience ‌to the Middle-East crisis.

• The government is expected to update its projections this ‌week, and has said growth is likely ⁠to be forecast at ‌close to 1% ​for this year.

(Reporting by Antonella Cinelli, graphic by Stefano Bernabei, editing by Gavin ‌Jones)

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