In turn, growth in consumer spending is likely to have also bottomed out in the September quarter. However, with ongoing weak income growth; a low savings rate; and high debt levels we cannot be confident that consumers have the capacity to sharply lift spending despite higher confidence. A less threatening outlook for interest rates appears to have boosted confidence. During that September quarter households were spooked by media and many commentators saying that interest rates were likely to start rising in the new year. That effect has now calmed down significantly.
Westpac Consumer Sentiment survey showed rise to 103.3
The Westpac Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment rose 3.6% to 103.3 in December from 99.7 in November. This is a surprisingly strong result and confirms the lift we have seen in the Index over the last three months. The average reading for the Index in the December quarter is 5% above the average for the September quarter when we saw a disturbing slump in consumer spending. This result is supportive of the view that consumer confidence may have bottomed out during that September quarter.
- Popular
-
UK still likely to leave the EU with a negotiated agreement, says Number 10
A successful deal with the European Union remains the “most…
-
Sentix Investors Confidence rose to 14.7 in August
The summer heat in Europe is also causing economic temperatures…
-
German factory orders -4.0% seasonally adjusted on the previous month
Based on provisional data, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports…
-
China's July exports growth still seen holding up despite U.S. tariffs: Reuters poll
China's exports are expected to have maintained solid growth in…