Survey | Residents’ confidence in economy improves

The Macau University of Science and Technology’s consumer index indicates that Macau consumers’ confidence increased in the third quarter of the year. It also shows that confidence in the local economy and employment has plateaued.
Confidence in Macau’s economy registered an increase of 14.23 percent. Up to 1,005 local residents aged over 18 who were surveyed between September 13 and 24 said their confidence in the economy was increasing.
The survey assessed residents’ confidence in the economic outlook, based on multiple aspects across eight categories and measured on a scale from 0 to 200.
The index for general confidence stands at 85.67, a 3.11 percent increase from the previous quarter.
The survey concluded that consumers have transitioned from being relatively pessimistic to cautiously optimistic, starting from late 2009 to this quarter.
Only two categories indicated a marked decrease: cost of living and apartment purchases. The former recorded a 0.9-percent decrease quarter-on-quarter, indicating slight apprehension among consumers. The latter, apartment purchases, remains the lowest index and highlights a more negative consumer sentiment, with a decrease of 13.23 percent this quarter.
The survey concluded that potential factors for driving up consumer confidence include economic diversification, strengthened regional cooperation, balanced supply and demand on the property market, and lower inflation. JZ