Irish borrowers among the most pessimistic

MORE than half of Irish, US and British borrowers are pessimistic about their economic outlook and personal finances, while Indians, Canadians and Australians are most upbeat, according to a survey by lenders’ mortgage insurer Genworth Financial Inc.

A quarter or less of mortgage borrowers in Ireland, US and Britain feel positive about their economies, Genworth said in its first International Mortgage Trends Report.

In contrast, nearly two thirds of respondents in India were optimistic and less than 30% in Australia and Canada were negative, according to the survey of more than 9,000 current and potential homeowners in the US, Britain, Canada, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Australia.