Consumers' Confidence Up as Political Stability Concerns Ease: Nielsen
Jakarta. Indonesian consumers were more optimistic in the second quarter this year, as concerns over political stability and religious intolerance have lessened, a survey indicates.
According to global research firm Nielsen, Indonesia's consumer confidence index in the second quarter rose to 121 points from 120 points in the fourth quarter last year. Nielsen did not examine consumer confidence in the first quarter of this year.
A figure above 100 still indicates a degree of optimism. Out of 63 countries surveyed by Nielsen, Indonesia was among the top three, preceded by the Phillippines (130) and India (128).
"Although Indonesian consumers are worried about the country's economic condition, interreligious tolerance and political stability, those factors have improved most in the second quarter this year," Nielsen said in a statement on Wednesday (23/08).
According to the survey, 30 percent of consumers, compared with 26 percent in the fourth quarter, were worried about the country's economic situation.
Concerns over religious intolerance have decreased to 22 percent, compared with 25 percent at the end of last year, when the blasphemy case of former Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama made many worry about the condition of tolerance in the country.
Concerns over political stability were also down to 20 percent from 25 percent in the previous survey.
Optimism about personal finances decreased to 79 percent from 81 percent, while consumer appetite for spending dropped to 57 percent from 59 percent.
Indonesian consumers' optimism about job prospects remained stable at 68 points, with 52 percent of respondents believing the country is in an economic recession, compared with 54 percent in the last quarter of 2016.
The survey was conducted from May 20 to June 10, on more than 30,000 online respondents from 63 countries. At least 500 of them were from Indonesia.
The survey results do not necessarily represent the views of the entire population.
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