Global consumer confidence increased one index point in third quarter to a score of 92 as consumers are caught between very slow improvement in some regions, and the threat of further crises posed by economic volatility, according to consumer confidence findings from Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy.
"The subdued third-quarter results reflect an overall trend that is neither positive nor negative as consumers are treading water very carefully,” said Dr. Venkatesh Bala, chief economist at The Cambridge Group, a part of Nielsen. “Consumers played it safe in Q3, especially in Europe, which still faces a very precarious economic situation despite some recent stabilizing policy initiatives by the European Central Bank. Export growth from China, especially to the Euro zone, has slowed substantially accompanied by restraint among consumers there. Consumers in the U.S., while less directly impacted by Europe, continue to be cautious in the face of an uneven recovery, marked by still-elevated unemployment levels and disappointing payroll growth."
The Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions, established in 2005, measures consumer confidence, major concerns and spending intentions among more than 29,000 Internet consumers in 58 countries. Consumer confidence levels above and below a baseline of 100 indicate degrees of optimism and pessimism.
