Consumer Confidence dived -28 from the previous month -23 as fears and concerns about unemployment reached an all time high: the likely hood that unemployment will improve retrograded to 13 from the previous month 12, a level similar to January. By contrast, prior to and following the June Presidential elections, consumers had expressed confidence in unemployment declining quickly. Regarding their personal financial situation, and the prospect for improvement over the next twelve months, the indicator plunged to -8, its lowest level since January. Pessimism grew deeper as high consumer prices left households polled with the perception that their standing of living over the last twelve months (-54) deteriorated (-59) and is unlikely to better (-37 compared with the previous month -26). Similarly, the opportunity to make important purchases dived to -19 a record low. Although the current financial situation indicator only fell one point (to a positive 15 from 16) and thus remained at levels compared with January, consumers saw their future savings capacity as minimalistic levels, sending the indicator to collapse to –14, its lowest level since the beginning of the year.

Consumer confidence fell to an all time low -29 (-23 a year ago) pushed down by households' feeling that their past financial situation worsened -23 (-18 in December last year). As regards improvements of their financial situation, the indicator dived -9, its lowest level since last December at -3. Similarly, consumers past standard of living was felt to have deteriorated -61 (-59 in November) compared with -55 a year ago. However, and as regards the likely hood for general improvement, the indicator slightly picked up -31 compared with -36 last month but remained lower than in December last year at -27. The possibility to make significant purchases also dived to its lowest level -23 since January and even more so compared with December -11 last year. Consumers expressed pessimism as regards future price increases as the indicator dipped to -23 compared with -8 in November, at levels however higher than last December -34. As regards unemployment, households stayed prudent but saw no improvement as the indicator fell to 5 compared with the previous month 11 and a more optimistic 27 last December. High consumer prices left households with the perception that their personal standing of living over the last twelve months (-54) deteriorated (-59) and is unlikely to improve (-37 compared with the previous month -26). Similarly, the opportunity to make important purchases dived to -19 another record low. Although the current financial situation indicator only fell one point (to a positive 15 from 16) and thus remained at levels compared with January, consumers saw no future savings capacity as that indicator collapsed to -14 its lowest level since the beginning of the year.