Consumer confidence improves
Swiss consumer sentiment rose again at the beginning of the year, according to the latest survey by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco).
The quarterly survey index – in which 1,100 households are asked for their evaluation of the economic situation, their own financial situation, inflation, job security and so on – reached a level of -7 points in January, compared with -14 points in October 2009.
Based on the January survey, consumers expect unemployment to rise more slowly and expect positive developments in their personal financial situation as well as an improvement in the general economic condition.
Other indices, which are not included when calculating the total index, also had positive developments, although some were still significantly lower than their historical averages.
This was the case for job security expectation (-107 compared with -118) and evaluation of past economic conditions (-58 compared to -75).
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