BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — German consumer confidence is at rock-bottom as Europe’s biggest economy faces the prospect of huge energy bills heading into the winter, a key survey showed on Friday. Pollster GfK’s forward-looking barometer fell to minus 36.5 points for September, the lowest level since its records began in 1991, following a revised August reading of minus 30.9 points. “The sharp rise in the propensity to save this month is causing the consumer […]
Tag: consumer
France announces 2.0-bn-euro fuel aid package
by Jérémy MAROT / Juliette VILROBE Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) – The French government has announced a package worth 2.0 billion euros ($2.2 billion) to help consumers struggling with soaring fuel prices, with the cost of filling up set to be cut at the pump. French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced late Saturday that petrol and diesel prices would be reduced by 15 centimes per litre. The bill will be slashed by this amount […]
Inflation rate for bottom 30% of income households eased to 4.8% in October: PSA
(Eagle News) — The Philippines’ inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent of income households eased further to 4.8 percent in October, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Friday, Nov. 5. According to the PSA, the inflation rate for that group in September was at 5.0 percent while the rate was at 2.9 percent in October 2020. The PSA said the deceleration was mainly due to the slower annual rate observed in the heavily-weighted food […]
Gatchalian: Use ₱207-billion Malampaya fund to reduce consumer power rates
(Eagle News)–Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday, Sept. 2, urged the passage of legislation that would allow the use of the P207-billion Malampaya fund. In making the call, Gatchalian noted that the ₱207-billion fund, initially intended to fund the exploration, development, and exploitation of energy resources, has remained largely unused since 2001. Gatchalian noted that under the Murang Kuryente Act which he is sponsoring he aims to “minimize, if not completely eliminate, the universal charges for […]
Apple fined millions for Australia false iPhone claims
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Apple was Tuesday fined Aus$9 million (US$6.7 million) by an Australian court for making false claims about consumer rights when refusing to fix faulty iPhones and iPads previously repaired by a third party. Customers of the US tech giant had complained to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) after an operating system update disabled their devices in a global issue known as “error 53”. The users were told by Apple […]
Japan inflation picks up for first time in nearly a year
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japanese consumer prices picked up in January for the first time in almost a year, official data showed Friday, halting a long string of declines as Tokyo struggles to put deflation in the rear view mirror. A nationwide consumer prices index, which excludes volatile costs of fresh food, rose 0.1 percent from a year earlier, the internal affairs ministry said. The rise was the first uptick in 11 months and ended […]
PepsiCo brings back aspartame as diet cola sales fizzle
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — PepsiCo said Monday it is putting aspartame back into some diet beverages in the United States, just a year after pulling the artificial sweetener from its products over consumer concerns about safety. “Consumers want choice in diet colas, so we’re refreshing our US lineup to provide three options that meet differing needs and taste preferences,” a PepsiCo spokeswoman, Gina Anderson, said in an email to AFP. The move comes […]
Strong consumer spending, factory data buoy U.S. growth outlook
(Reuters) – U.S. consumer spending recorded its largest gain in more than 4-1/2 years in March and factory activity accelerated last month, reinforcing views the economy was regaining steam. Economic growth stalled in the first quarter after a very cold and disruptive winter, but the data so far point to a strong second-quarter rebound. “The weakness in growth we saw in the first quarter is not indicative of what is going on in the economy. […]
U.S. consumer confidence rebounds to pre-crisis levels in first quarter: Nielsen
(Reuters) – U.S. consumer sentiment rose sharply in the first quarter as optimism about the economic outlook improved, according to a global survey which also showed rising confidence in debt-laden euro zone countries. Globally, consumer confidence returned to pre-financial crisis levels in the first three months of this year, at its highest since the first quarter of 2007, the survey by global information and insights company Nielsen showed on Wednesday. Improving job prospects are […]





