Economic confidence in the eurozone dropped unexpectedly in April, despite a strong increase in consumer confidence, dpa cited a key survey as showing Tuesday. The European Commission's closely watched Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) slipped to 102.0 points, a drop of 0.5 per cent. Analysts had expected the index, which measures the mood among executives and consumers, to rise to 102.9. The drop comes on the back of a surge in confidence the previous month, when the index posted its most significant rise in five years, reaching a revised figure of 102.5. But the commission said consumer confidence had improved by 0.7 points, "thanks to consumers' more positive views on the future general economic situation and the level of future unemployment." Consumer confidence in the eurozone - which stands at -8.6 according to Monday's figures - is at its highest level since November 2007, according to the commission.