KARACHI: Consumer confidence has increased in the wake of improved economy and higher expectations for future economic growth, results of a State Bank survey show.

SBP’s Consumer Confi­dence Survey — conducted during Sept 5 and 9 — notes, “Overall, the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) increased by 5.07 per cent compared to the previous survey held in July 2017.”

The increase in CCI is attributed to both current economic conditions index (CEC), which increased by 6.18pc, and expected economic conditions index (EEC) that recorded a growth of 3.9pc from its value in the previous survey.

The survey shows higher expected inflation compared to the previous poll for overall inflation and its sub-categories — food, energy, and non-food-non-energy.

The State Bank of Pakis­tan has been conducting Consumer Confidence surveys regularly via telephone calls every two months.

The participants are selected randomly across the country. The survey helps the SBP in gathering information on “what people are thinking” about current and future economic conditions, future trends in inflation, interest rates, unemployment, and their household incomes. Such information is helpful in monetary policy formulation, the SBP notes.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2017