+1.5 on previous index reading
The Consumer Pulse stood at 82.6 in March 2019, up 1.5 on last month but down 15.8 on a year ago. Buoyed by positive news on the jobs and earnings fronts, households were more upbeat about recent economic developments this month. Their assessment of the economy’s prospects for the coming year was little changed though, with the balance of positive and negative responses remaining firmly in the red amid ongoing Brexit uncertainty. This uncertainty may also be contributing to an increasing propensity to save among households (three in four said they are likely to put some money aside in the next 12 months, up from 70% a year ago).
