Consumer Unease: Consumer and Two-Point Increase

consumer unease: Photo AFP China's shoppers remained active in the first quarter of 2019, with a measure of consumer sentiment standing near a record high of 115, a two-point increase from the fourth quarter of 2018, a report showed, according to Global Times China. Experts noted that steady consumption, while pushing for a supply side upgrade, bodes well for the steady growth of China's economy. Malaysia on Wednesday began implementation of a 6 percent consumption tax aimed at plugging a leaky tax-collection system and addressing a widening fiscal deficit, but the move has sparked consumer unease. According to the report, released by global performance management company Nielsen on Friday, the Consumer Trend Index CTI has three components -- job prospects, willingness to spend and personal financial conditions, all of which improved significantly from the prior quarter. Willingness to spend increased three points to 61, and personal finance was up three points to 70. Job prospects increased five points to 79 points. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.