The state-run statistics agency said its Current Consumer Confidence Index, which describes current trends in personal consumption, edged down by 0.2 points in June, while remaining in negative territory of “minus 14.8” points amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Polish consumers surveyed this month were less positive about the economy than a month earlier, and their evaluation of their own financial condition also worsened slightly from May, according to the Central Statistical Office.
Compared with June last year, the Current Consumer Confidence Index was 4.6 points higher, the statistical office said as the COVID-19 crisis subsides.
Meanwhile, the so-called Leading Consumer Confidence Index, which provides an insight into expected trends in personal consumption in the coming months, inched down by 0.1 point in June from May, to “minus 9” points, the Central Statistical Office reported.
It added that most components of that indicator declined, including how consumers evaluate the future financial situation of their households. However, respondents were more positive than a month earlier about the future level of unemployment.
The Leading Consumer Confidence Index was 14.9 points higher in June than in the same month of 2020, the office reported.
Both consumer confidence indicators take values from -100 to +100. A positive value means that optimistic attitudes prevail among consumers, while a negative value indicates a prevalence of pessimistic views.
The latest consumer sentiment study was conducted between June 7 and 16.
Eighty-four percent of those surveyed said their responses were impacted by "the current epidemiological situation" in the country, the Central Statistical Office reported.
Poland's government has eased coronavirus restrictions and reopened the economy in a series of steps since May after the number of new infections dropped sharply from previous months.
In April last year, consumer sentiment in Poland plunged to its lowest level since 2004 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
(gs/pk)
Source: PAP, stat.gov.pl