Macao’s overall consumer confidence index dipped by nearly 3.7 percent in the third quarter of this year, when compared to the second quarter, according to research by the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) cited in Jornal Tribuna de Macau.
The index now stands at 100.39 on a scale that goes to 200, MUST says, with decreases registered for four of its six determinants.
The survey of 805 residents found that sentiment had become slightly more negative with regard to employment conditions (down by 0.9 percent) and housing acquisition (decreasing by 2.48 percent).
[See more: Macao’s first-half GDP exceeds 200 billion patacas for the first time in 5 years]
Confidence in the local economy meanwhile took a battering, falling by 8.94 percent, while faith in the stock markets plummeted 11.66 percent.
Only the indicators for standard of living and for commodity prices showed modest increases – of 1.87 percent and just over 1 percent respectively.
The consumer confidence survey comes in the wake of recent figures from the Macau Economic Association, which showed that the city’s economic prosperity index would remain stable between September and November, based on a survey of 13 indicators, including expected unemployment rate, visitor arrivals and hotel occupancy.
