MUNICH: The German consumer climate is to improve slightly with the predicted overall indicator at 9.5 points for March, following a value of 9.4 points in February, market research group GfK reported Thursday.
According to GfK, there is a noticeable rise in income expectations but hardly any change in the economic outlook, and the propensity to buy remains stable.
“The February findings of the survey indicate that the intensive discussions to achieve a permanent solution to the refugee issue are still not having any impact on German citizens,” said Rolf Buerkl, an analyst for the Nuremberg-based research group.
“It is clear that even the continued acute terror threat has done little to sway consumer confidence,” Buerkl added.
In addition, the report noted that the forecast growth for this year should be considered as a conservative estimate, since GfK sees for 2016 some risks, including the unsolved refugee crisis, falling energy prices and ongoing economic downturn in the emerging economies.
The GfK consumer climate survey has been conducted since 1980. Its findings are based on around 2,000 consumer interviews conducted each month on behalf of the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union.
