Australia’s Westpac–Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index slipped 1.7% mom in January 2026 to a three-month low of 92.9, extending December’s sharp 9.0% plunge as shifting interest rate expectations weighed on confidence. Sentiment showed mixed signals: the one-year economic outlook fell 6.5% to 88.4, while the five-year view edged up 0.9% to 96.5. Household finances also diverged, with assessments rising 2.3% to 82.7 compared to a year ago, but expectations for the next 12 months were down 4.5% to 97.8. The “time to buy a major household item” index was little changed, up 0.2% to 99.1. Meanwhile, views on unemployment worsened, with the index climbing 2.1% to 129.4, slightly above its long-run average, signaling rising concern over job prospects. Westpac’s head of Australian macro-forecasting, Mathew Hassan, said consumers are increasingly wary about 2026, noting that strong inflation and resilient domestic spending have heightened fears that inflation is not yet under control. source: Westpac Banking Corporation, Melbourne Institute

Consumer Confidence MoM in Australia decreased by 1.70 percent in January from -9 percent in December of 2025. Consumer Confidence MoM in Australia averaged 0.13 percent from 1974 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 18.00 percent in September of 2020 and a record low of -17.70 percent in April of 2020. This page includes a chart with historical data for Australia Consumer Confidence MoM. Australia Consumer Confidence MoM - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-15 11:30 PM
Westpac Consumer Confidence Change
Dec -9% 12.8% 0.2%
2026-01-12 11:30 PM
Westpac Consumer Confidence Change
Jan -1.7% -9% 2.6%
2026-02-09 11:30 PM
Westpac Consumer Confidence Change
Feb -1.7% -2.0%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bank Lending Rate 10.01 10.01 percent Dec 2025
Westpac Consumer Confidence Index 92.90 94.50 points Jan 2026
Westpac Consumer Confidence Change -1.70 -9.00 percent Jan 2026
Consumer Credit 2487.29 2469.49 AUD Billion Dec 2025
GDP Consumption 353842.00 352059.00 AUD Million Sep 2025
Disposable Personal Income 445019.00 437382.00 AUD Million Sep 2025
Gasoline Prices 1.23 1.20 USD/Liter Jan 2026
Households Debt to GDP 113.70 112.70 percent of GDP Jun 2025
Housing Credit MoM 0.70 0.60 percent Dec 2025
Personal Savings 6.40 6.00 percent Sep 2025
Private Sector Credit MoM 0.80 0.60 percent Dec 2025


Australia Consumer Confidence MoM
The Consumer Sentiment Index is based on a survey of over 1,200 Australian households. The Index is an average of five component indexes which reflect consumers' evaluations of their household financial situation over the past year and the coming year, anticipated economic conditions over the coming year and the next five years, and buying conditions for major household items. The index scores above 100 indicate that optimists outweigh pessimists.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-1.70 -9.00 18.00 -17.70 1974 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA

News Stream
Australia Consumer Sentiment Hit 3-Month Low
Australia’s Westpac–Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index slipped 1.7% mom in January 2026 to a three-month low of 92.9, extending December’s sharp 9.0% plunge as shifting interest rate expectations weighed on confidence. Sentiment showed mixed signals: the one-year economic outlook fell 6.5% to 88.4, while the five-year view edged up 0.9% to 96.5. Household finances also diverged, with assessments rising 2.3% to 82.7 compared to a year ago, but views for the next 12 months fell 4.5% to 97.8. The “time to buy a major household item” index edged up 0.2% to 99.1. Meanwhile, views on unemployment worsened, with the index climbing 2.1% to 129.4, slightly above its long-run average, signaling rising concern over job prospects. Westpac’s head of Australian macro-forecasting, Mathew Hassan, said consumers are increasingly wary about 2026, noting that recent strong inflation and resilient domestic spending have heightened fears that cost pressures are not yet under control.
2026-01-12
Australia Consumer Sentiment Falls Sharply
Australia’s Westpac–Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index plunged 9.0% mom to 94.5 in December 2025, slipping back below the 100 mark after briefly returning to optimism in November for the first time since February 2022. The decline followed a 12.8% surge in the prior month, due to growing worries about inflation. Economic sentiment weakened, as the one-year outlook slid 9.7% to 94.6 and the five-year view fell 11.7% to 95.7. Household finances were also a drag, with views on conditions compared with a year ago dropping 5.0% to 80.9, while expectations for the next 12 months eased 6.1% to 102.4. The “time to buy a major household item” index declined 11.4% to 98.9. Still, views on unemployment improved, down 9.1% to 126.8. Westpac’s Mathew Hassan said renewed anxiety over the interest-rate path was feeding broader concerns about the economic outlook. He cautioned that if inflation takes longer to normalise, the cash rate could stay on hold for longer than currently expected.
2025-12-16
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rebounds Sharply
Australia’s Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index surged 12.8% in November 2025 to 103.8, topping the 100 mark for the first time since February 2022. Excluding pandemic disruptions, it was the most positive reading in seven years, supported by signs of economic recovery and easing external risks. The latest result was a reversal from a 3.5% drop in the previous month. Views on family finances strengthened, with current conditions up 3.7% to 85.2 and expectations for the next 12 months jumping 12.3% to 109.1. Outlook for the economy also improved, with the 12-month view surging 16.6% to 104.8 and the five-year outlook up 15.3% to 108.4. The “time to buy a major household item” index rose 14.9% to a four-year high of 111.6. However, unemployment expectations increased 9.3% to 139.5, remaining above the long-term average. Mathew Hassan of Westpac said it would take more than one quarter of good news to ease the RBA’s concerns and open the door for policy easing.
2025-11-11