(ANSA) - Rome, April 4 - Italian households' purchasing power rose 0.8% in 2015, the first increase since 2007, Istat said on Monday. The national statistics agency added, however, that there was a 0.7% drop in spending power in the last quarter of 2015 with respect to the previous three months. Despite this Italian households' purchasing power in the fourth quarter of 2015 was still 0.9% higher than in the same period of 2014. Italian households consumer spending, meanwhile, rose 1% in 2015. The increase came after a 0.8% rise in 2014. The national statistics agency said there was a 0.4% rise in consumer spending in the last quarter of 2015 with respect to the previous three months and a 1.5% increase compared to the same period in 2014. Italian consumer spending was badly hit by the economic crisis.

Italy returned to growth last year after a long recession.

