Ipsos Jordan Announces Results for Ipsos’ Jordanian Consumer Sentiment Index Q3 2018

Ipsos, the leading research company in the Middle East and North Africa has Announced its Jordanian Consumer Sentiment Index Results of Q3, 2018 for the first time in Jordan. Ipsos’ JCSI follows the established Global methodology of Ipsos’ PCSI; one of the most prominent global indices conducted in collaboration with Thomson Reuters in 24 countries. The index is a representative national survey aiming at understanding consumers’ attitudes on the current and future state of the local economy, consumers’ personal financial situation, as well as confidence to make larger investments and ability to save.

Ipsos’ JCSI quarterly result is driven by the aggregation of four weighted sub-indices relating to Current Personal Financial Conditions, Economic Expectations, Investment Climate, and Employment Confidence, all of which contribute to JCSI being a key predictor of General Consumption & Investment trends in the Jordanian market.

The results of the third quarter have revealed that A few months following the appointment of the new government, the public’s sentiments towards the economic situation in Jordan has witnessed a clear shift. With tax laws still being discussed in September and no tangible change expected on the horizon, Jordanians’ optimism has dwindled and their outlook towards their future in the country has become bleak to say the least.

The majority of Jordanians have expressed their concern with the current state of the local economy. And with the economic burden experienced by Jordanians showing no signs of subsiding, almost 3 in 5 have shared negative sentiments towards their own financial situation.  Amongst the key concerns fueling Jordanians’ frustrations are unemployment (49.1%), inflation (47.7%) & poverty (35.4%). Negative outlooks coupled with diminishing faith in the possibility of actual change, has had a visible impact on this quarter’s JCSI- with the index witnessing a 10-point drop when compared to last quarter. 

“As the biggest and oldest multinational research company operating in Jordan since 1998, we believe that it is our responsibility and social duty to provide decision makers, the media and the public with a globally recognized index that helps in understanding developments affecting the local economy as well as anticipating future trends, especially during the tough financial and economic situations witnessed both globally and locally. We are committed to providing all concerned parties in the private and public sectors with this index periodically and free of charge,” explained Saif Nimry, Managing Director of Ipsos in Jordan and Iraq.

He added that the importance of Ipsos’ JCSI stems from it being an important indicator of future consumption habits within the country, which fortifies the role of opinion polling as a reference when it comes to economic and investment related decision making.