Consumer Confidence: documentation of statistics

The Consumer Confidence Indicator (CCI) expresses consumers’ views and expectations concerning economic development. The Consumer Confidence Indicator is the average of the balance figures for the CCI components. The components are: own economy now, own economy in one year’s time, Finland's economy in one year's time and consumer’s spending money on major purchases within one year. The confidence indicator can range between -100 and +100. The higher the figure, the brighter is the view on the economy.

The consumer confidence indicator is the mean value of a balance figure based on four questions measuring consumers' expectations over the next 12 months regarding the development of their own economic situation, the Finnish economy, the household's own possibilities to make savings, and the number of unemployed.

The statistics on consumer confidence explore consumers’ intentions to use money by target. The measurement unit is ‘per cent of consumers’:

-Buying a new or used passenger car within 12 months
-Buying a dwelling or building a house within 12 months
-Home renovations in the next 12 months
-Acquisitions in the next 6 months: free-time residence, home decoration, household appliances, entertainment electronics, hobby and sports equipment, other vehicle than car, leisure trip in Finland, leisure trip abroad.

The statistics on consumer confidence examine consumers’ intentions of taking out a loan within 12 months. The measurement unit is ‘per cent of consumers’.

The statistics on consumer confidence explore consumers’ personal views and expectations concerning the economy. The measurement unit is ‘per cent of consumers’:

-Consumer’s own economy now and in 12 months’ time
-Finland's economy now and in 12 months’ time
-General unemployment in 12 months’ time
-Personal threat of unemployment now
-Change in consumer prices now and in 12 months’ time
-Favourable time for saving, taking out a loan and making major purchases at present
-Consumer’s financial situation now
-Consumer’s saving possibilities within 12 months
-Consumer’s spending money on major purchases within 12 months

Persons who live and share meals together or otherwise use their income together are considered to belong to the same household as the respondent. The size of the household can vary from a one-person household to, for instance, a household with several generations and numerous members.

Persons that live at a different address most of the time but use their income together with members of a household can also be considered to belong to the same household. Such persons include, for example:

-Persons living in another municipality e.g. due to work if they participate in acquiring income for the household;
-Performers of military service/non-military service;
-Persons in temporary hospital care;
-For example, students living in a different municipality if they use their income together with the household.

However, there may be persons living in the same apartment that do not belong to the same household. They use their own income and thus form their own household. Such persons include, for example:
-Subtenants, domestic workers and boarders;
-Foster children when the foster home activities are professional and the foster home arrangement is not intended to be permanent;
-For example, students living in shared dwellings unless they are married or cohabiting.