Consumers still “relatively upbeat” in October after sentiment index declines

13 October 2021

 

Summary: Household sentiment deteriorates slightly in October; consumers “relatively upbeat” despite NSW, Vic lockdowns; still above long-term average; little difference in largest states’ readings; three of five sub-indices lower; unemployment index lower. After a lengthy divergence between measures of consumer sentiment and business confidence in Australia which began in 2014, confidence readings of the two sectors converged again in mid-July 2018. Both readings then deteriorated gradually in trend terms, with...

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