However, Belgium's annual inflation rate remained well below the eurozone average. But Europe remains highly cautious in its strategy to stabilise the economy.
"Bookings are moving fast, indicating that customers are confident they'll have a carefree holiday, which they want to reserve as soon as possible."
The price spike followed reports that the maximum daily temperature in Belgium will fall to just 1°C on Tuesday, down from 11°C on Thursday.
A recent study estimates that Belgium received a net intake of €41.60 for every €100 in payroll payments in 2022, compared to €50 in 2005.
Electricity consumption dropped to its lowest level since 1999 last year. Gas consumption, which has declined for each of the past four years, fell to its lowest level since 1997.
Flanders accounted for nearly 60% of all insolvencies last year.
Eurozone manufacturing output fell for the seventh consecutive month in December while Russia's manufacturing sector improved at its fastest rate in nearly seven years.
A total of €31.5 billion was pulled from regulated savings accounts in 2023 – equivalent to roughly 5.5% of Belgium's annual GDP.
The National Bank of Belgium stressed that it "deeply regrets" the Federal Government's failure to renew Wunsch's governorship prior to its expiry on 1 January.
"Gas and electricity prices are almost returning to pre-crisis levels. This should kill European inflation, which was mainly driven by energy."
"The impact will be several tens of millions" – some even speculate hundreds of millions. The savings would be welcome in the face of Belgium's high budget deficit.
Belgium's growth rate is expected to be higher than the eurozone average but still low by historical standards at 1.4% in 2023 and 2024, down from 3.2% in 2022.
The Federal Government estimates that the new measure will raise up to €634 million – roughly 0.1% of annual GDP – in additional government revenue in 2024.
The unprecedented prospect of beginning the year without a Governor raises a host of legal difficulties and might be seen as a quirk of Belgian bureaucracy.
Analysts predict that Belgium's food inflation rate should drop to 0% in March or April next year, down from 7.03% this month.
The company, which allows users to hire its electric vehicles by the hour, will now focus on its operations in Antwerp.
"The fall in investments is obviously not good news for anyone, but there is no sign that this situation will continue," one expert noted.
Businesses' and consumers' expectations are largely at odds with professional economists' own recent predictions.
"They are also a social injustice as they are mostly private jets, reserved for a privileged minority who take a plane as if they were taking a taxi."
Belgium's budget deficit (4.9%) and debt levels (106.3%) are well above EU's thresholds.
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