Irish consumer attitudes braced for downturn but remaining stable

IRISH consumers may have braced themselves for tougher times better than their counterparts in other countries as consumer sentiment remained stable last month.

The latest IIB/ESRI consumer sentiment index fell fractionally to 63.3 in March from 63.5 in February. The figure for March last year was 78.5.

The change was so small that it is best thought of as a broadly stable reading, although at relatively weak levels, said IIB chief economist, Austin Hughes.