Budget release boosts Consumer Confidence
The last fortnight has seen a 5.4 per cent cumulative rise, with the Government’s Budget and the RBA rate cut seen in May being cited as key factors behind the boost.
The last fortnight has seen a 5.4 per cent cumulative rise, with the Government’s Budget and the RBA rate cut seen in May being cited as key factors behind the boost.
Consumer sentiment dropped by 3.2 per cent during April, hitting 96.2 per cent from the 99.5 registered in March.
The Index revealed Consumer Sentiment rose to 100.7 points in February, an 8 per cent rise from the 93.2 points registered in January. This is the highest level the Index has seen in the past 12 months.
Consumer sentiment has experienced its longest run of pessimism since the Global Financial Crisis and, before that, the early 1990s recession, according to the Westpac monthly sentiment index.
More good news for SMBs in the lead up to Christmas with a new study showing consumer confidence has significantly increased in recent months.
Consumer spending across the country is continuing to rise, but as businesses become more optimistic, experts are warning consumer confidence remains fragile.
Despite improving conditions in the global economy local consumer confidence has fallen, as households remain concerned about the state of their own finances.
Australia has the highest consumer confidence of all developed nations, a new survey has found, with optimism increasing locally for the first time since July 2010.
Businesses have welcomed news of a surprise jump in consumer sentiment, as the number of optimists outweighs the number of pessimists for the first time in some months.
Opposition spokesperson Senator Scott Ryan on how the Federal Government has failed small business:
“Small businesses comprise 96 percent of all Australian enterprises. It is a sector that is only ignored at our greater peril, yet it is one to which this Labor Government has refused to listen.”