The data from the Cabinet Office revealed on Monday that consumer
confidence in Japan improved more than expected in March but remained
pessimistic. The seasonally adjusted consumer confidence index jumped to 33.9 last month from 31.1 in February. That was the highest reading since May 2022
(34.1) and exceeded the economists’
forecast of 31.9. A score above 50 indicates optimism, while a score below 50 shows
a lack of confidence.
According to the report, perception became better for all components of
the headline indicator in March, including willingness to buy durable goods
(+3.2 points m-o-m to 26.4), employment (+3.0 points m-o-m to 41.3), overall
livelihood (+2.6 points m-o-m to 30.3), and income growth (+1.3 points m-o-m to
37.4).