2015.04.2702:27:00UTC+00Finland Consumer Confidence Strengthens Further

Finland's consumer confidence improved for the seventh consecutive month in April, survey figures from Statistics Finland showed Monday.

The consumer confidence index climbed to 11.4 in April from 11.2 in the previous month. The latest score was the strongest since May 2012, when the score was 12.0.

The latest survey was conducted among 1,310 residents in Finland, between April 1 and 17.

Households' expectations regarding their own financial situation improved in April, with the corresponding index rising to 10.7 from 8.5 in March.

The index reflecting the general economic situation of the country for the next twelve months strengthened notably to 5.2 in April from 1.2 in the prior month.

Consumers predicted in April that consumer prices would go up by 1.2 percent over the next twelve months. In the same month last year, the predicted inflation rate was 2.4 percent.

The survey showed that 42 percent of consumers thought in April that unemployment would increase over the year, while 20 percent of therm believed it would decline.

In April, 47 percent of consumers thought that the time was favourable for buying durable goods, while 50 percent of consumers regarded saving worthwhile.