Consumer index jumps in Oct-Dec

Mumbai: India's consumer confidence continues to remain highest globally and showed improvement in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2014 (Q4), riding on positive economic environment and lower inflation.

Nielsen's findings reveal that the consumer confidence of urban India increased by three points in Q4 from the preceding quarter. With a score of 129 in Q4, urban India's consumer confidence is up by 14 points from the corresponding period of the previous year (Q4 of 2013) when it stood at 115.

The current score helps India stay on top of the global consumer confidence index for the quarter and is followed by Indonesia and Philippines, each of which have a score of 120. The improvement in consumer confidence index in Q4 is significant given that it had dipped marginally in Q3 of 2014.

The study is an indicator of what consumers look for and buy. In the latest online survey, conducted between November 10 and 28, 2014, over four in five (82%) urban Indian respondents indicated the highest level of optimism globally on job prospects in the next 12 months, followed by Indonesia (73%) and Philippines (73%). In the same quarter last year, 70% were optimistic about their job prospects in India.

"The urban online consumer in India ended the year far more optimistically as compared to last year, and even last quarter. The increased consumer sentiment is aided by lower inflation rates and the positive economic environment and development initiatives of the new government that have been instrumental in driving the India growth story," said Piyush Mathur, president, Nielsen India Region.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.