Consumers less pessimistic in April

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© CBS / Alrik Swagerman
For the sixth consecutive month, consumers are less pessimistic in April than they were in the previous month. However, consumer confidence is still low. In April, it stands at -37, up from -39 in March. Willingness to buy is less negative.

At -37, the consumer confidence indicator in April is positioned well below its long-term average over the past two decades (-10). The indicator reached an all-time high (36) in January 2000 while the all-time low (-59) was reached in September and October 2022. CBS has monitored consumer confidence since April 1986.

Consumer confidence, seasonally adjusted
yearmonthbalance (average of the component questions)
2019May-3
2019June-1
2019July1
2019August-1
2019September-2
2019October-1
2019November-2
2019December-2
2020January-2
2020February-2
2020March-3
2020April-23
2020May-31
2020June-27
2020July-26
2020August-29
2020September-28
2020October-30
2020November-26
2020December-19
2021January-19
2021February-19
2021March-18
2021April-14
2021May-9
2021June-3
2021July-4
2021August-6
2021September-5
2021October-10
2021November-20
2021December-26
2022January-28
2022February-30
2022March-39
2022April-48
2022May-47
2022June-50
2022July-51
2022August-54
2022September-59
2022October-59
2022November-56
2022December-52
2023January-49
2023February-44
2023March-39
2023April-37

Consumers' opinions about economic climate hardly changed

Consumers are just as pessimistic about the economy in April as they were in March. This component indicator remains at -48. Consumers’ opinions about both the economy in the next twelve months and the economy over the past twelve months have not or have hardly changed.

Willingness to buy less negative

Consumers’ willingness to buy stands at -30 in April, up from -33 in March. Consumers are less negative about both their financial situation in the next twelve months and their financial situation over the past twelve months. Consumers are also less negative about making large purchases in April than they were in March.

Sources

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