The consumer confidence index (CCI) picked up 3.45 points to a 15-month high of 56.45 this month after food costs stabilized and the TAIEX rebounded, a survey released yesterday showed.
The survey, which polled 2,302 people aged 20 or older between Sept. 19 and last Tuesday, said the commodity price factor reported the biggest improvement among all six measures, gaining 13.7 points, from last month, after vegetable and fruit costs stabilized.
The stock investment timing figures came second, rising 4.6 points to 83.4 this month, after the benchmark TAIEX increased 458.66 points, or 6.7 percent, so far this month, the poll conducted by the Research Center for Taiwan Economic Development at National Central University showed.
The index on the purchase intent of durable goods rose 1.45 points to 82.65 this month, while the measure on the prospect of household income edged up 0.5 points to 52.35, the survey said.
The index on the economic outlook gained 0.25 points, with GDP expected to turn positive in the final three months, the survey said. The index on the job market in the coming six months also advanced 0.2 points, even though unemployment hit a new high of 6.13 percent in last month, the poll said.
With a perfect score being 200 points, the data reflected a pessimistic mood in general, as a value below 100 indicates bearish sentiment.
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