Consumer Confidence up to 101.2 after Interest Rate cut
| Article No. 798 -
This special Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is based on 1,057 face-to-face interviews conducted Australia-wide with men and women aged 14 and over on the weekend of September 13/14, 2008.:
September 19, 2008 |
This special Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating, conducted September 13/14 after the Reserve Bank cut interest rates by 0.25% on Tuesday September 2nd, is 101.2 - up 1.9 points from late August. This is the highest Consumer Confidence rating since March, although 17 points lower than September 2007.
The rise in the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating was mainly driven by Australians feeling better about purchasing major household items, with 35% (up 3%) saying that now is a good time to buy and 30% (down 2%) saying it’s a bad time to buy.
There was also an improvement in how Australians viewed their own personal financial situations for next year. More Australians (38% - up 2%) are expecting to be better off this time next year, with only 22% (unchanged) expecting to be worse off.
Compared with this time last year 29% (up 2%) of Australians feel better off, and 39% (unchanged) are feeling worse off.
Australians are less optimistic about Australia’s economic outlook during the next five years. Just 30% (down 1%) are looking forward to good times for the economy, while 21% (down 2%) expect bad times.
In the shorter term 25% (up 1%) expect Australia to have good times in the next 12 months, and 38% (up 1%) bad times.
Gary Morgan says:
"This is the highest Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating since March, driven by the lowering of interest rates."
“While the Central Banks have put billions of dollars of liquidity into the financial markets, Australia’s economy is still stalled (35% considering now is a good time to buy is still too low). There is no reason why the Reserve bank doesn’t further cut interest rates.”
This special Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is based on 1,057 face-to-face interviews conducted Australia-wide with men and women aged 14 and over on the weekend of September 13/14, 2008.
Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. The following table gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. The figures are approximate and for general guidance only, and assume a simple random sample. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
|
Sample Size |
Percentage Estimate |
| |
40%-60% |
25% or 75% |
10% or 90% |
5% or 95% |
|
1,000 |
±3.2 |
±2.7 |
±1.9 |
±1.4 |
For further information:
Gary Morgan: Office + 61 3 9224 5213 Mobile + 61 411 129 094
Michele Levine: Office + 61 3 9224 5215 Mobile + 61 411 129 093

|
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 |
132.0 |
121.5 |
119.4 |
119.5 |
118.8 |
116.8 |
120.6 |
114.3 |
105.4 |
110.6 |
117.7 |
119.2 |
| 2006 |
124.3 |
124.5 |
124.4 |
120.1 |
106.8 |
115.1 |
118.1 |
103.7^ |
108.6 |
115.8 |
111.5 |
117.4 |
115.9 |
| 2007 |
123.9 |
123.8 |
120.7 |
124.3 |
122.5 |
122.3 |
126.8 |
125.2 |
118.2 |
126.2 |
124.9 |
126.8 |
123.8 |
| Year |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Yearly Average |
| 2/3 |
30/31 |
4/5 |
11/12 |
|
|
|
|
| 2008 |
118.6 |
115.8 |
109.5 |
100.1 |
97.1 |
90.7 |
92.0 |
90.1 |
99.3 |
101.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
101.4 |
|
|
|
Monthly Average |
111.5 |
111.8 |
109.0 |
108.0 |
108.8 |
105.4 |
104.9 |
103.5 |
101.6 |
106.7 |
105.2 |
106.1 |
106.7 |
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating for September 15/16, 2001, conducted by telephone, was 102.3.
^ 84 of the 107 Western Australian interviews were conducted by telephone on August 9/10 due to a recent Southern WA Cyclone |
Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows: |
|
2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug
2/3 |
Aug
30/31 |
|
Oct
4/5 |
Oct
11/12 |
|
|
|
Interviews |
1,027 |
994 |
1,176 |
1,121 |
1,186 |
1,081 |
999 |
1,075 |
1,042 |
1,057 |
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
33 |
35 |
30 |
29 |
27 |
22 |
28 |
25 |
27 |
28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
worse off |
25 |
25 |
30 |
34 |
35 |
45 |
40 |
43 |
39 |
39 |
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 1 difference |
8 |
10 |
0 |
-5 |
-8 |
-23 |
-12 |
-18 |
-12 |
-11 |
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
39 |
40 |
39 |
37 |
32 |
31 |
35 |
35 |
36 |
38 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
worse off |
16 |
17 |
17 |
22 |
27 |
31 |
29 |
25 |
22 |
22 |
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 2 difference |
23 |
23 |
22 |
15 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
10 |
14 |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
38 |
36 |
32 |
25 |
26 |
22 |
19 |
18 |
24 |
25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
bad times |
25 |
30 |
30 |
37 |
39 |
39 |
48 |
48 |
37 |
38 |
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 3 difference |
13 |
6 |
2 |
-12 |
-13 |
-17 |
-29 |
-30 |
-13 |
-13 |
|
|
|
|
|
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 five years of so - or we'll have bad times - or some good and some bad? |
|
|
good times |
35 |
37 |
33 |
29 |
29 |
26 |
26 |
25 |
31 |
30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
bad times |
18 |
20 |
20 |
24 |
26 |
26 |
33 |
28 |
23 |
21 |
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 4 difference |
17 |
17 |
13 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
-7 |
-3 |
8 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
Q5 Generally, do you think now is a good time - or a bad time - for people to buy major household items? |
|
|
good time to buy |
52 |
46 |
39 |
33 |
34 |
33 |
36 |
32 |
32 |
35 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
bad time to buy |
20 |
23 |
29 |
35 |
36 |
38 |
32 |
40 |
32 |
30 |
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 5 difference |
32 |
23 |
10 |
-2 |
-2 |
-5 |
3 |
-8 |
0 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating |
118.6 |
115.8 |
109.5 |
100.1 |
97.1 |
90.7 |
92.0 |
90.1 |
99.3 |
101.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
* 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. |
Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows: |
|
2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interviews |
1,077 |
1,251 |
1,115 |
1,150 |
1,215 |
1,016 |
937 |
929 |
1,053 |
1,084 |
1,077 |
1,006 |
|
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 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
34 |
34 |
37 |
40 |
33 |
40 |
37 |
38 |
|
|
worse off |
25 |
26 |
26 |
24 |
27 |
25 |
27 |
23 |
27 |
21 |
24 |
20 |
|
QUESTION 1 difference |
11 |
8 |
9 |
12 |
7 |
9 |
10 |
17 |
6 |
19 |
13 |
18 |
|
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 |
41 |
46 |
39 |
42 |
41 |
39 |
44 |
44 |
39 |
45 |
42 |
44 |
|
|
worse off |
16 |
15 |
15 |
13 |
14 |
16 |
14 |
13 |
15 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
|
QUESTION 2 difference |
25 |
31 |
24 |
29 |
27 |
23 |
30 |
31 |
24 |
33 |
30 |
32 |
|
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 |
44 |
44 |
41 |
43 |
46 |
45 |
48 |
43 |
40 |
44 |
45 |
47 |
|
|
bad times |
21 |
21 |
21 |
19 |
19 |
19 |
17 |
20 |
23 |
16 |
16 |
13 |
|
QUESTION 3 difference |
23 |
23 |
20 |
24 |
27 |
26 |
31 |
23 |
17 |
28 |
29 |
34 |
|
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 five years of so - or we'll have bad times - or some good and some bad? |
|
|
good times |
37 |
37 |
36 |
37 |
35 |
34 |
38 |
38 |
34 |
37 |
39 |
39 |
|
|
bad times |
17 |
20 |
21 |
19 |
19 |
19 |
16 |
16 |
20 |
16 |
16 |
14 |
|
QUESTION 4 difference |
20 |
17 |
15 |
18 |
16 |
15 |
22 |
22 |
14 |
21 |
23 |
25 |
|
Q5 Generally, do you think now is a good time - or a bad time - for people to buy major household items? |
|
|
good time to buy |
57 |
56 |
52 |
53 |
52 |
54 |
58 |
51 |
50 |
49 |
50 |
47 |
|
|
bad time to buy |
17 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
17 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
20 |
19 |
21 |
22 |
|
QUESTION 5 difference |
40 |
40 |
36 |
38 |
35 |
38 |
41 |
33 |
30 |
30 |
29 |
25 |
|
|
|
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating |
123.9 |
123.8 |
120.7 |
124.3 |
122.5 |
122.3 |
126.8 |
125.2 |
118.2 |
126.2 |
124.9 |
126.8 |
|
|
* 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: |
|
2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interviews |
1,062 |
1,163 |
1,125 |
1,165 |
1,149 |
1,144 |
1,215 |
1,132 |
1,085 |
1,069 |
1,161 |
1,208 |
|
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 |
31 |
35 |
34 |
34 |
30 |
32 |
32 |
30 |
32 |
32 |
35 |
36 |
|
|
worse off |
26 |
25 |
25 |
27 |
35 |
30 |
31 |
34 |
32 |
27 |
27 |
24 |
|
QUESTION 1 difference |
5 |
10 |
9 |
7 |
-5 |
2 |
1 |
-4 |
0 |
5 |
8 |
12 |
|
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 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
43 |
37 |
41 |
40 |
35 |
38 |
39 |
39 |
41 |
|
|
worse off |
14 |
14 |
14 |
16 |
22 |
19 |
19 |
26 |
21 |
16 |
19 |
13 |
|
QUESTION 2 difference |
28 |
30 |
31 |
27 |
15 |
22 |
21 |
9 |
17 |
23 |
20 |
28 |
|
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 |
41 |
44 |
42 |
41 |
32 |
38 |
42 |
29 |
34 |
38 |
33 |
39 |
|
|
bad times |
21 |
21 |
20 |
25 |
34 |
26 |
25 |
38 |
32 |
26 |
31 |
24 |
|
QUESTION 3 difference |
20 |
23 |
22 |
16 |
-2 |
12 |
17 |
-9 |
2 |
12 |
2 |
15 |
|
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 five years of so - or we'll have bad times - or some good and some bad? |
|
|
good times |
36 |
35 |
34 |
34 |
30 |
29 |
33 |
29 |
30 |
32 |
28 |
33 |
|
|
bad times |
20 |
20 |
19 |
23 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
27 |
28 |
24 |
28 |
23 |
|
QUESTION 4 difference |
16 |
15 |
15 |
11 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
10 |
|
Q5 Generally, do you think now is a good time - or a bad time - for people to buy major household items? |
|
|
good time to buy |
64 |
59 |
58 |
55 |
45 |
51 |
57 |
46 |
45 |
50 |
49 |
45 |
|
|
bad time to buy |
12 |
14 |
13 |
15 |
24 |
17 |
16 |
27 |
23 |
19 |
22 |
23 |
|
QUESTION 5 difference |
52 |
45 |
45 |
40 |
21 |
34 |
41 |
19 |
22 |
31 |
27 |
22 |
|
|
|
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating |
124.3 |
124.5 |
124.4 |
120.1 |
106.8 |
115.1 |
118.1 |
103.7 |
108.6 |
115.8 |
111.5 |
117.4 |
|
|
* 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 |
|
|
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Interviews |
1,141 |
1,250 |
1,181 |
1,074 |
1,092 |
1,070 |
1,038 |
1,077 |
1,033 |
1,114 |
1,003 |
1,083 |
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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 |
36 |
35 |
32 |
34 |
32 |
31 |
36 |
32 |
32 |
31 |
34 |
|
|
worse off |
21 |
21 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
24 |
30 |
27 |
30 |
32 |
30 |
27 |
|
QUESTION 1 difference |
15 |
15 |
11 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
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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 |
46 |
44 |
43 |
42 |
41 |
41 |
40 |
39 |
39 |
35 |
40 |
|
|
worse off |
11 |
11 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
16 |
20 |
16 |
21 |
26 |
20 |
17 |
|
QUESTION 2 difference |
36 |
35 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
25 |
21 |
24 |
18 |
13 |
15 |
23 |
|
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 |
50 |
39 |
38 |
36 |
35 |
35 |
42 |
36 |
28 |
32 |
41 |
|
|
bad times |
14 |
15 |
23 |
26 |
24 |
25 |
27 |
23 |
28 |
39 |
32 |
23 |
|
QUESTION 3 difference |
38 |
35 |
16 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
8 |
19 |
8 |
-11 |
0 |
18 |
|
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 five years of so - or we'll have bad times - or some good and some bad? |
|
|
good times |
41 |
41 |
36 |
33 |
33 |
30 |
30 |
32 |
30 |
25 |
28 |
31 |
|
|
bad times |
14 |
13 |
16 |
22 |
21 |
23 |
22 |
24 |
25 |
29 |
26 |
26 |
|
QUESTION 4 difference |
27 |
28 |
20 |
11 |
12 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
5 |
-4 |
2 |
5 |
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Q5 Generally, do you think now is a good time - or a bad time - for people to buy major household items? |
|
|
good time to buy |
61 |
58 |
50 |
53 |
55 |
55 |
61 |
57 |
52 |
50 |
53 |
53 |
|
|
bad time to buy |
11 |
11 |
18 |
14 |
14 |
12 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
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QUESTION 5 difference |
50 |
47 |
32 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
47 |
43 |
38 |
29 |
35 |
35 |
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|
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Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating |
133.2 |
132.0 |
121.5 |
119.4 |
119.5 |
118.8 |
116.8 |
120.6 |
114.3 |
105.4 |
110.6 |
117.7 |
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* 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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