Spain's consumer confidence rises slightly in December

The arrival of the New Year has been greeted with a slight rise in consumer confidence in Spain, according to the latest figures published by the Center for Sociological Investigation (CIS) on Tuesday.

The CIS study showed confidence rose by 1.3 points during December 2016 to 100.7 points.

The increase was provoked by a 3.7 point improvement in the valuation of the overall situation in Spain, following the formation of a new government at the end of October 2016, although that was balanced out somewhat with a fall in expectations for the future.

However, consumer confidence began 2017 with 6.7 points below the level with which it began 2016, due partly to a fall in confidence over the economic situation, which was 6.1 points lower than a year ago. People were also less optimistic about the job market, despite a fall in unemployment over the past 12 months.

Some 11.6 percent of those asked said they knew more people who were out of work than six months ago and 32.6 percent believed the chances of finding a new job or improving their current position had declined.

Some 33.2 percent believed the economic situation was "worse" than six months ago, while 37.5 percent said they had not seen any change.

Finally 45.4 percent of those questioned said they earned just enough money to pay the monthly bills and 12.1 percent saying they had to dip into their savings to make ends meet. Only 32.1 percent replied they were able to save a small amount every month with just 3.1 saying they saved "quite a lot." Endit