Statisticians register reduction of consumer confidence

Population consumer confidence is going on falling in Russia and this is the conclusion of specialists from Russian State Statistics Committee. They’ve interrogated five thousand people, aged from 16 and older, living in private households in all Russian regions. The index of consumer confidence dropped 35% in the first quarter of this year as compared with the fourth quarter of 2008. In opinion of statisticians similar level of this index was observed in the IV quarter of 1999. The consumer confidence is coming down because of the negative processes in economics. 13% of interrogated pointed to possible positive changes in this sphere and more than 48% pointed to possible negative changes. 83% of people questioned believe the current situation in Russian economics really became worse. Only 7% predict certain improvement during this year. 38% don’t foresee any changes in their welfare standards. The index of favorability of the conditions for big purchases dropped 33 points and the index of favorability of conditions for savings – by 20 points. The index of consumer confidence is coming down not just in Russia but in European countries too: the index fell from 3,5 to minus 22,6 points in Austria, from 7,1 to minus 3,5 in Denmark, from 4,3 to minus 18,6 in Luxemburg, from 4,4 to minus 27,8 in Netherlands, from 13,5 to minus 1,3 in Finland and from 11to minus 5,8 in Sweden.