Consumer trust recovered in February<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Consumer confidence rebounded in February after
\nfalling in the previous two months, according to a research
\nagency of the state-owned investment bank PT Danareksa.<\/p>\n
The Danareksa Research Institute said a survey of 1,700
\nrespondents in six regions in the country found that the consumer
\nconfidence index rose to 66.1 last month from 63.8 in January.<\/p>\n
\"It is by no means a surprise because consumer confidence had
\nfallen too far in the previous two months,\" the institute said.<\/p>\n
The index jumped in November on account of euphoria following
\nthe election of President Abdurrahman Wahid the previous month,
\nbut then it fell in December and again in January. The
\nfluctuations indicate that the index \"remains fragile\", it said.<\/p>\n
\"Consumers are now more realistic in their outlook,\" the
\ninstitute said, adding that it closely scrutinized the
\ngovernment's economic agenda and the political situations before
\nassessing its level of confidence.<\/p>\n
Two other indices monitored monthly also improved in February:
\nthe Present Situation Index rose to 45.9 from 43.9 in January and
\nthe Expectation Index to 81.3 from 78.7.<\/p>\n
A reading above 50 in any of the three indices means that the
\npositive responses outnumber negative responses.<\/p>\n
The respondents were selected to represent different consumer
\ncharacteristics, demographically and economically.<\/p>\n
The research institute said the respondents who rated present
\neconomic conditions as \"good\" increased to 22.7 percent from 22.0
\npercent, while those holding the opposite view fell to 35.5
\npercent from 36.0 percent.<\/p>\n
The proportion of respondents who felt that jobs were \"hard to
\nget\" increased to 54.9 percent from 54.6 percent but those who
\nsaid jobs were \"plentiful\" also rose to 21.5 percent from 20.0
\npercent.<\/p>\n
The survey found a mixed perception on the consumers' short-
\nterm economic outlook. Those expecting conditions to improve over
\nthe next six months rose to 56.2 percent from 55.6 percent, but
\nthe proportion of those expecting the condition to worsen also
\nincreased to 7.6 percent from 7.2 percent.<\/p>\n
Consumers continued to maintain a positive view of the short-
\nterm employment outlook. While the percentage of respondents
\nexpecting more jobs in the next six months stayed unchanged at 25
\npercent, the number anticipating fewer opportunities fell to 11.4
\npercent from 16.8 percent in January.<\/p>\n
Income expectations improved slightly in February, with 37.2
\npercent respondents saying they expected an increase, up from
\n36.6 percent in January. The percentage anticipating a decline in
\ntheir income dropped to 9.9 percent from 10.9 percent. (10)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/consumer-trust-recovered-in-february-1447893297",
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