UK consumer confidence grows

Money News

www.moneynews.co.uk > Other > UK consumer confidence grows

Topics

bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet

Features

bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet

Companies

bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet

Money News

bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet

UK consumer confidence grows

A survey has shown that UK consumer confidence has risen since the New Year.

The results of the Consumer Confidence Barometer from research group Martin Hamblin are likely to fuel speculation that the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee will increase interest rates next month.

Shoppers took advantage of the January sales, as optimism strengthened about prospects for 2004, and the barometer's headline index of consumer confidence stood at zero in January, up from minus five in December.

The five-point rise in the index left it three points higher than in the same month last year. It also made this month the first period in which consumer confidence has been out of negative territory since November 2002.

Director of Martin Hamblin, Roger Wright, said: "Consumers are considering now to be a good time to make major purchases during the traditional period of the high street sales. Some New Year optimism may be playing a part."

Retail sales rose almost twice as fast as forecast last month, boosted by Christmas demand and an early start to the Christmas sales.

The UK economy also expanded by 0.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2002, according to figures published this month, the fastest growth in almost three years.

Related News : Other

bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet
bullet