India continued to maintain a lead in the global confidence index. According to global information and insights provider Nielsen, in the first quarter of 2015, India’s consumer confidence score rose to 130 followed by Indonesia and Philippines. While, the consumer confidence in urban India has increased by 9 points from first quarter in 2014, 44 per cent of respondents polled feel that India is still in “economic recession”.

The Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index said that over four in five i.e 83 per cent urban Indian respondents indicated the highest level of optimism globally on job prospects in the next 12 months compared with 74 per cent in first quarter in 2014.

As per the survey

1. Over three in five i.e 65 per cent online respondents polled indicated this is a good time to buy things they want and need, 11 per cent rise from corresponding quarter last quarter i.e 53 per cent in fourth quarter of 2014.
2. When it comes to investing spare cash, 64 per cent indicated it is a good time to put spare cash into savings.
3. While 49 per cent of respondents polled purchasing new technology products.
4. It said 79 per cent respondents have changed their spending habits to save on expenses
5. Eighty per cent urban Indian respondents indicated that the state of personal finances was good or excellent in the first quarter of 2015, four percentage points up from the same time last year i.e 76 per cent in first quarter 2015.

The Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence

1. Established in 2005
2. Measures consumer confidence, major concerns, and spending intentions among more than 30,000 respondents with Internet access in 60 countries.
3. Global consumer confidence increased one index point to 97 in the second quarter, marking the highest level since the first quarter of 2007.