Consumer Pulse

At 69.9 in December 2021, the Consumer Pulse was down 5.3 on last month but 3.6 higher than a year ago. Households were gloomier about the economic situation this month, with their assessment of the labour market also taking a turn for the worse amid rising virus cases and new restrictions – the share expecting unemployment to increase in the coming year (41%) is now greater than the share expecting a fall (36%). More positively, buying sentiment was steady on the month, though it remains down on the summer as households’ finances feel the pinch from higher inflation.