The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating has risen 7.7 points to 133.2 points in January - the highest Consumer Confidence result since first surveyed by Roy Morgan Research in 1973. This result is 22.8 points higher than the January average of 110.4 and 7.2 points higher than a year ago.

While the Consumer Confidence result traditionally experiences a seasonal spike in January, the result has come off an above average base in 2004.

The rise is driven by attitudes towards the economic prospects of Australia as a whole and the sense that now is a good time to buy. The proportion of Australians expecting good economic times over the coming year rose 6% to 52% with 14% (down 2%) expecting bad times. Similarly, 41% (up 8%) in January expect Australia to experience good economic conditions over the next five years, with 14% (down 2%) expecting bad economic times over the same period.

Now, more Australians are saying now is a good time to buy major household items, such as electrical appliances or furniture, (61%, up 10% since December) — 2% lower than this time last year. Eleven percent (down 7%) said now is a bad time to buy major household items.

Australians’ attitude to their own financial situation and prospects remains stable. Thirty six percent (unchanged) say their personal financial situation is better now than it was last year, with 21% (down 2%) saying they are now worse off. Looking ahead 47% (up 1%) of Australians expect to be better off financially this time next year, while 11% (down 1%) expect to be worse off.

Further information:

Monthly Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating Figures
Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Yearly Average
1973			119.2			117.0			108.4			103.8	112.1
1974			103.2			95.6			90.6			92.2	95.4
1975			114.0			104.2			100.8			103.0	105.5
1976	113.6		107.0	110.2		107.0	105.6		108.0	108.8	101.2		107.7
1977	104.2		98.6	101.6		103.8	99.4		105.0	104.4	109.4		103.3
1978	119.2		114.8	110.8		109.6	101.6		91.2	104.4	103.6		106.9
1979	110.2		106.2	109.4		92.6	90.2		99.4	97.6	98.8		100.6
1980	98.8		100.8	97.4		101.6	98.2		104.4	109.8	106.4		102.2
1981	113.4		111.8	101.8		100.8	95.0		92.4	98.2	98.0		101.4
1982	92.4		91.8	93.6		92.2	80.4		84.6	81.2	75.2		86.4
1983	87.8		97.4	96.0		95.4	98.2		100.6	106.4	113.2		99.4
1984	124.6		120.8	120.8		115.6	116.6		118.2	117.8	114.6		118.6
1985	114.8		110.2	99.4		98.0	100.8		106.8	107.8	94.8		104.1
1986	105.4		103.8	94.6	94.8	91.6	79.8	79.8	78.8	89.8	85.6	88.8	90.3
1987	90.4	88.0	86.8	90.8	91.8	93.4	98.6	96.4	94.8	104.0	87.2	93.0	92.9
1988	100.4	98.8	103.6	106.2	104.0	104.0	107.6	108.2	112.4	108.8	104.2	105.8	105.3
1989	105.0	94.6	88.4	88.4	87.4	72.8	73.0	78.8	82.0	79.0	81.0	80.0	84.2
1990	101.6	95.6	83.4	88.3	84.7	83.1	79.6	83.9	75.6	71.4	73.1	71.3	82.6
1991	78.5	85.4	85.0	87.2	87.7	88.6	98.1	95.2	93.3	95.8	91.1	83.0	89.1
1992	93.6	95.9	96.2	105.4	101.6	97.7	95.4	96.9	96.8	101.2	93.6	92.9	97.3
1993	100.8	100.4	105.9	102.3	102.2	96.2	96.6	100.8	90.2	103.5	111.9	108.5	101.6
1994	120.5	127.5	125.7	127.7	125.2	128.0	127.6	123.8	123.6	124.6	118.1	118.0	124.2
1995	112.3	112.4	113.9	114.7	112.0	112.4	110.2	115.5	111.7	116.2	114.3	111.9	113.1
1996	116.7	119.1	123.7	121.5	118.8	117.8	112.3	114.4	113.2	111.3	113.4	113.2	116.3
1997	119.2	115.1	116.2	112.5	114.2	115.5	110.7	111.7	112.4	112.8	111.6	110.6	113.5
1998	117.8	116.0	114.9	110.2	114.4	109.8	107.6	111.1	111.0	113.9	114.2	114.7	112.8
1999	122.1	121.8	122.5	119.6	122.5	122.2	118.2	122.8	122.3	119.6	122.8	122.2	121.6
2000	122.3	119.9	112.9	116.6	112.0	108.7	114.8	119.1	115.8	115.6	110.3	112.3	115.0
2001	119.9	109.5	106.2	103.6	107.4	108.6	115.3	116.4	120.9*	106.8	109.4	113.3	111.4
2002	124.8	123.0	122.3	123.2	124.0	116.4	123.4	119.9	122.1	117.2	114.0	109.6	120.0
2003	122.5	113.4	109.9	120.8	127.0	122.4	123.2	122.4	123.2	121.2	124.2	120.4	120.9
2004	126.0	126.8	130.4	124.4	125.0	125.6	128.9	127.6	126	128.9	124.8	125.5	126.7
2005	133.2												133.2
Monthly Average	110.4	109.1	107.7	106.9	108.2	104.6	103.7	107.6	104.3	106.1	104.1	104.0	106.5
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating for September 15/16, 2001, conducted by telephone, was 102.3.

 

Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows:
2004		Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Interviews		983	1142	1038	1231	1160	1092	1246	1157	967	1187	1110	1120
Q1 Would you say you and your family are better-off financially or worse off than you were at this time last year?
Over the past year	better off	32	33	34	33	33	35	36	35	38	35	34	36
	worse off	29	29	25	26	27	26	23	27	23	25	21	23
QUESTION 1 difference		3	4	9	7	6	9	13	8	15	10	13	13
Q2 This time next year, do you and your family expect to be better-off financially or worse off than you are now?
	better off	43	44	46	42	42	44	43	46	46	46	40	46
	worse off	14	14	10	13	16	12	13	12	13	11	13	12
QUESTION 2 difference		29	30	36	29	26	32	30	34	33	35	27	34
Q3 Thinking of economic conditions in Australia as a whole. In the next 12 months, do you expect we?ll have good times financially, bad times or some good and some bad?
	good times	45	47	48	43	43	41	44	43	39	45	45	46
	bad times	18	20	14	19	20	18	16	16	16	14	16	16
QUESTION 3 difference		27	27	34	24	23	23	28	27	23	31	29	30
Q4 Looking ahead, what would you say is more likely, that in Australia as a whole, we?ll have continuous good times during the next 5 years of so> or we?ll have bad times> or some good and some bad?
	good times	35	41	39	35	35	35	37	37	33	37	34	33
	bad times	14	17	13	18	15	14	15	15	13	15	19	16
QUESTION 4 difference		21	24	26	17	20	21	22	11	20	22	15	17
Q5 Generally, do you think now is a good time> or a bad time> for people to buy major household times?
	good time to buy	63	62	59	60	60	56	62	58	53	58	53	51
	bad time to buy	13	13	12	13	10	13	10	11	14	13	13	18
QUESTION 5 difference		50	49	47	47	50	43	52	47	39	45	40	33
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating		126.0	126.8	130.4	124.4	125.0	125.6	128.9	127.6	126	128.9	124.8	125.5
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 100.0 plus the simple unweighted average of the difference between the percentage of respondents who give a favourable and those who give unfavourable answers to five key questions.

 

Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows:

2005

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Interviews

1,141

Q1 Would you say you and your family are better-off financially or worse off than you were at this time last year?

Over the past year

better off

36

worse off

21

QUESTION 1 difference

15

Q2 This time next year, do you and your family expect to be better-off financially or worse off than you are now?

better off

47

worse off

11

QUESTION 2 difference

36

Q3 Thinking of economic conditions in Australia as a whole. In the next 12 months, do you expect we?ll have good times financially, bad times or some good and some bad?

good times

52

bad times

14

QUESTION 3 difference

38

Q4 Looking ahead, what would you say is more likely, that in Australia as a whole, we?ll have continuous good times during the next 5 years of so> or we?ll have bad times> or some good and some bad?

good times

41

bad times

14

QUESTION 4 difference

27

Q5 Generally, do you think now is a good time> or a bad time> for people to buy major household times?

good time to buy

61

bad time to buy

11

QUESTION 5 difference

50

Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating

133.2

* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 100.0 plus the simple unweighted average of the difference between the percentage of respondents who give a favourable and those who give unfavourable answers to five key questions.

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