Nielsen 2012

Global consumer confidence increased five points to 94
More than half of global respondents (57%) said they are in a
recession, down from 64% in Q4 2011
Discretionary spending and savingincreased across all sectors
reviewed
Concern for the economy remained a top worry among 19% of
global respondents
Confidence increased in 16 of 27 European markets
U.S. consumer confidence indexincreased 9 points to 92
China confidence increased 2 points to 110

Conditions are improved, but still fragile
Households around the globe experienced a brighter
personal situation in terms ofjobs and personal
finances last quarter, especially in the U.S. and in
Asia, which was reflected in the improved consumer
confidence and higher discretionary spending. While
global economicconditions are more stable than in
the depths of the European sovereign debt crisis late
last year, underlying economic conditions are still
fragile and fluid in many parts of the world, which
couldaffect consumer confidence and spending
momentum for the coming quarter

Consistent good news outweighed the bad
In Nielsen’s Q1 survey, while more than half (57%) of consumers
around the worldindicated they were in a recession, that sentiment
was down from 64 percent in Q4 2011. Regionally, online respondents
who believed they were in a recession showed declines in Asia-Pacific ,
inEurope (72% compared to 74% in Q4), while a slightly growing
number of online respondents in Latin America (48% compared to 47%
in Q4) and Middle East/Africa (75% compared to 74% in Q4)
believed theywere in a recession.
More than half (55%) of online consumers surveyed described
their personal finances for the next 12 months as excellent/good, up
from 52 percent in Q4 2011, while one-thirdindicated it was a good
time to buy the things wanted and needed. Local job prospects
improved globally by six percentage points in Q1, yet less than half
(48%) perceived the outlook for the upcoming...