Consumer outlook promising - survey
( 2002-02-08 11:30 ) (1 )

According to a recent survey conducted by MasterCard International, Chinese people are very optimistic about their future living standards and the national economy.

Carried out twice a year in 13 countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific region, the MasterCard survey aims to track consumers' outlook for the economy in the coming six months.

Interviewees are asked their opinion on the future of five basic economic factors -- employment, economy, regular income, stock market and quality of life.

A composite index, called the Masterindex, is then drawn from the five indices to provide a picture of consumer confidence in the future economy. It ranges from 0, the most pessimistic, to 100, the most optimistic.

China's composite index was 84.8, far ahead of the other countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific area and making it the most promising country in the area.

The latest survey was conducted among 5,457 customers in 13 Asia-Pacific markets.

Among all the countries and regions which were included in the survey, China scored the highest indices of 92.1, 90.6 and 76.5 respectively for quality of life, economy and employment. The outlook for regular income and stock market also was rosy in China, registering 90.9 and 74.1, respectively.

Despite the fluctuation of the stock market in the past year, Chinese stock holders were still confident in the development of the stock market in the new year, the survey showed.

Among three Chinese cities surveyed, Shanghai's composite index exceeded 90 for the first time, reaching 95.3. The city received a 100, a full index, for the national economy and 99.4 and 97.8 respectively for the quality of life and regular income, the survey showed.