Consumer confidence declined in 35 out of 56 markets, according to fourth quarter 2011 global consumer confidence findings
from Nielsen. Global consumer confidence increased one point last
quarter to a score of 89, while Europe led confidence declines in 24 of
the region’s 27 measured markets.
“While Europe’s challenging economic conditions in the second half of
2011 bought renewed vulnerability and fragility to consumers and
financial markets globally, some of the most positive news last quarter
came from the world’s two largest economies—the U.S. and China—where
confidence rebounded to Q1 2011 levels,” said Dr. Venkatesh Bala, Chief
Economist at The Cambridge Group, a part of Nielsen. “Buoyant domestic
consumption also maintained confidence levels in the large emerging
economies of India, Indonesia and Brazil. However, slowing GDP growth
within emerging economies and inflationary pressures would suggest some
degree of caution for the year ahead.”
The Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending
Intentions, established in 2005, tracks consumer confidence, major
concerns and spending intentions among more than 28,000 Internet
consumers in 56 countries. Consumer confidence levels above and below a
baseline of 100 indicate degrees of optimism and pessimism.
Personal finances are improved, but spending is still restrained
More than half (52%) of global online consumers described their
personal finances for 2012 as excellent/good, up from 50 percent in Q3
2011, but 65 percent indicated it is not a good time to buy, up one
percent from the previous quarter.
“Overall, consumer discretionary spending will remain restrained and
cautious in the first half of 2012,” said Dr. Bala. “Despite consumers
becoming more confident about their personal finances for the year
ahead, there is still a reluctance to spend, especially in the West;
rising tensions in the Middle East and their impact on gasoline prices
could further compound global consumer concerns and spending plans,”
added Dr. Bala.
Consumer concern for the economy increased as a top fear among 18
percent of global respondents—an increase of six points from last
quarter, which resulted in nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers around
the world indicating they believe they are in a recession, up from 62
percent last quarter. A growing number of online respondents in Asia
Pacific (53%), Europe (74%), Middle East/Africa (74%) and Latin America
(47%) indicated they believe they are in a recession. And while 86
percent of North Americans feel they are in a recession, it was the only
region to report an improvement from 88 percent in third quarter.
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/china-and-us-improve-but-overall-consumer-confidence-fell-in-60-of-global-markets/
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