BRUSSELS, May 26 (Reuters) - Belgian business confidence, a bellwether for the euro zone, rose for a second consecutive month in May, with improvements in all branches of industry, the National Bank said on Tuesday.
The index, often referred to as the leading indicator, improved to -27.6 in May from -29.4 in April.
A Reuters poll of 16 economists had produced a median forecast of -27.0, with a range from -29.4 to -22.0.
The Belgian number comes a day after the closely-watched German Ifo business climate index, which showed sentiment in Europe's largest economy improving for a second straight month, although the current conditions component fell to its lowest level since 1990. [ID:nLP719441]
Belgian consumer sentiment reached a seven-month high in May, figures last week showed.
German consumer sentiment held steady for a fourth-straight month, the GfK market research firm said on Tuesday, as a brighter overall outlook offset growing worries about household finances. [ID:nLP197790]
French consumer spending on manufactured goods rose in April, against expectations of a slight decline. [ID:nLQ132852]