Consumer confidence remains weak in Dec

The consumer confidence indicator (CCI) stood at minus 7.3 in December, having been minus 6.5 in November and minus 7.6 in October, according to Statistics Finland.

Consumer confidence has been weak and its variation has been low for a long time.

One year ago in December, the consumer confidence indicator received the value minus 8.6. The long-term average for the CCI is minus 2.8.

The data are based on the Consumer Confidence Survey, to which 1,213 persons resident in Finland responded between December 1 and December 15.

In December 2025, consumer confidence was strongest in Greater Helsinki (CCI minus 3.8) and weakest in Eastern Finland (minus 11.9).

Of the socio-economic groups, upper-level salaried employees were most optimistic (1.9).

In December, unemployed persons had the gloomiest expectations concerning economic development (minus 20.0).

Women (minus 9.1) still described economic development in December as clearly gloomier than men did (minus 5.5).

In December, consumers' views concerning their own economy at present improved both compared to November and one year ago but were still fairly weak.

Expectations concerning one's own economy in one year weakened slightly from the month before but still remained on the long-term average level. In addition, expectations concerning Finland's economy were unchanged and subdued in December.

Twenty-four per cent of consumers thought in December that their own economy was worse at the time of the survey than one year ago. Twenty-five per cent of consumers considered their own economy better than one year earlier. Two-thirds or 67 per cent of consumers thought in December that Finland’s economic situation was now weaker than one year earlier, and only six per cent saw it as stronger.

In December, 21 per cent of consumers believed that Finland’s economic situation would improve in the coming twelve months, while 38 per cent of them thought that our country’s economy would decline. In all, 29 per cent of consumers believed in December that their own economy would improve and 17 per cent of them feared it would weaken over the year.

Consumers' expectations concerning the development of the general unemployment situation in Finland stayed fairly gloomy in December. Only 15 per cent of consumers expected that unemployment would decrease over the next year, and over one half, 55 per cent believed it would increase.

Employed consumers reckoned in December that their personal threat of unemployment or lay-off was still very high. Four per cent of employed persons believed that their personal threat had lessened and 27 per cent thought the risk had grown. On the other hand, 38 per cent of employed persons felt in December that they were not threatened by unemployment or temporary lay-off at all.

In December, consumers' estimates of the inflation at the time of the survey and concerning price changes in one year's time were unchanged and fairly high.

Consumers estimated in December that consumer prices have risen by 4.3 per cent from last year's December and would go up by 3.7 per cent over the next year. Around one-half of consumers, 51 per cent, thought that consumer prices have risen much or fairly much over the year, and 56 per cent of them expected prices to rise at least at the same rate over the coming months as well.

As for a long time, the time was regarded very poor in December for taking out a loan and unfavourable also for saving. Twenty-seven per cent of consumers regarded the time favourable for taking out a loan and 44 per cent considered saving worthwhile. However, intentions to raise a loan were on the usual level in December. Fifteen per cent of consumers were planning to raise a loan within one year.

Consumers' estimates of their own financial situation were similar to the long-term average in December. Consumers estimated that their saving possibilities would also be on the usual level in the coming months. In December, over one half or 58 per cent of consumers had been able to lay aside some money and 72 per cent believed they would be able to do so during the next 12 months.

In December, the time was still regarded very unfavourable for buying durable goods. Only 14 per cent of consumers thought the time was favourable for making expensive purchases.

Consumers’ intentions to spend money on durable goods in the next 12 months shrank even more in December. In December, only 10 per cent of consumers estimated that they would increase and as many as 42 per cent would reduce their spending on durable goods over the next 12 months.

However, as many consumers as the long-term average considered buying a car within one year in December. By contrast, consumers still had fewer plans than usual to buy a dwelling and to renovate their own dwelling.

In December, 14 per cent of consumers were either definitely or possibly going to buy a car within the next 12 months. Only 11 per cent of consumers considered buying a dwelling or building a house. Sixteen per cent of consumers were planning to spend money on renovating their dwelling during the next 12 months.