India consumer confidence highest in 18 months 

NEW DELHI: Consumer confidence level in India has improved since the fourth quarter (October-December) of 2012 according to a survey conducted by market research firm Nielsen, which found that a majority of respondents feel the country will wriggle out of slowdown over the next twelve months.
India retained its position as the second-most optimistic country among a total of 60 nations where the “Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions”, was conducted, according to Nielsen.
Consumer confidence in India during the first quarter of current fiscal (January-March) was at 121 India has retained its position as the second-most optimistic country among 60 nations Consumer confidence in India stood at 121 during the JanMarch quarter of 2014 against 121 in Oct-Dec 2012 Indonesia leads the global index with 124 points against 115 in the previous quarter. Indonesia leads the global index with 124 points and Philippines stands at the third place with 116 points.
The consumer confidence levels above and below a baseline of 100 indicate degrees of optimism and pessimism.

Around 74% of respondents in India are optimistic about job prospects over the next 12 months and the sentiment is up by 4 percentage points from the last quarter.
The survey also pointed out that 68% of urban respondents in India feel that the country is going through a phase of economic recession, and, of these respondents, about 54% said t

 country will be out of recession phase over the next one year.

“Consumers are reconciled to the negative economic conditions and despite the challenge of inflation are hoping for a better fiscal year. They are optimistic that overall sentiment and investment will pick-up gradually,” said Piyush Mathur president, Nielsen India.
Nielsen’s survey, established in 2005, measures consumer confidence, major concerns and spending intentions among over 30,000 respondents with Internet access across 60 countries.
“Overall discretionary spending is higher than the last four quarters and there is a renewed focus on savings for the long-term. Consumers are also anticipating the outcome of the elections and the impact will reflect in subsequent months,” added Mathur.
NAME- RAJ GAURAV
               PGDM 2 SEM