Thursday, 20 August 2026
Retail & Consumer

Consumer confidence steady as durable goods spending softens

A quarterly survey shows sentiment little changed, with households more cautious on big-ticket purchases.

Consumer confidence was little changed in the latest quarterly survey, though households reported greater caution on big-ticket purchases.

According to the survey, the sub-index measuring willingness to buy durable goods declined, while expectations for household finances were broadly stable.

Retail commentary has pointed to continued trading down across several categories, consistent with the survey findings.