MNI POLICY: Covid Delay To Household Survey Data, ECB confirms

By Luke Heighton

     FRANKFURT (MNI) - The publication of the Eurosystem's latest Household

Finance and Consumption Survey is likely to be delayed due to the Covid-19

pandemic, the European Central Bank has confirmed.

     The results of the 2020 survey - which would have included a comparison of

the financial circumstances of all euro area citizens - were expected to be

published in 2022.

     "Owing to the COVID-19 outbreak and the fact that the survey is conducted

mainly via personal interviews, all of that fieldwork has stopped for the time

being, and fieldwork in the remaining countries (which was due to start in March

or April of this year) has been postponed," the ECB wrote in a letter to MEPs

published Monday.

     "Consequently, publication of the results of the 2020 survey round will

most likely be delayed."

     The results of the third survey round, for which work was mainly conducted

in 2017, the ECB said, were published on 26 March 2020.

--MNI Frankfurt Bureau; +49-69-720-146; email: luke.heighton@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; +44 203 865 3829; email: jason.webb@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: M$X$$$,M$$EC$]