Japanese consumer confidence improved in November for the second consecutive month amid rising stocks, lower gasoline prices and better employment conditions, the government said Friday.
The seasonally adjusted index of sentiment among households made up of two or more people rose 1.1 points to 42.6, the Cabinet Office said.
The government upgraded its basic assessment of the index for the first time since a March survey, saying consumer confidence “shows signs of picking up,” compared with its assessment in October that it was “leveling off.”
The survey polls consumers on the economic outlook for the upcoming six months. A score below 50 suggests pessimists outnumber optimists.
All four components of the sentiment index climbed in November, with consumers’ view of their livelihoods rising 1.3 points to 40.9 and their assessment of income growth expanding 1.1 points to 41.1.
Their view on employment and readiness to buy new durable goods improved 0.8 of a point to 46.7 and 1.3 points to 41.6, respectively.
