Due in about 10 minutes or so from Australia - Westpac Consumer Confidence index for March
- prior was -2.3%
- There is no expectations survey for this
A preview, this via Westpac themselves:
- The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index fell by 2.3% to 102.7 in Feb from 105.1 in January. The February survey was conducted amid a wave of volatility across global financial markets. Under the circumstances, the slight fall in sentiment is a decent result, particularly given that it leaves the index in net optimistic territory above the 100 mark for a fourth consecutive month - a run that follows a twelve month stretch in which pessimists were in the ascendency for all but one month.
- The March survey is in the field over the week ended March 10. Financial markets have settled down somewhat, the ASX200 up over 2% since the Feb survey. The global backdrop remains unsettled though with increasing trade tensions. Further signs of house price declines locally are also likely to weigh on sentiment.