India tops Nielsen list in consumer confidence

Led by India, global online consumer confidence rose two points in the first quarter of this year, according to an online survey by Nielsen's Company released today.

Asia Pacific's consumer confidence index jumped 10 points on the Nielsen index from the last quarter to reach 107 - the highest score on record. The Middle East-Africa region surged 17 points to a new high of 106.

The Nielsen global online consumer confidence survey tracks consumer confidence, major concerns, and spending intentions among more than 28,000 internet consumers in 51 countries.

Global online consumer confidence rose two points in the first quarter of this year to an index of 92 driven by record confidence gains in the Middle East-Africa following social and political unrest in the region, and strong-performing Asia Pacific economies.

Confidence surged in the Middle East and North Africa in the first quarter in the wake of social uprisings, but deteriorated in the euro zone periphery as Portugal's financial woes came to a head, according to an international survey by a survey showed on Sunday. India retained the top spot.

Confidence remained highest in India, maintaining its fourth-quarter score of 131. That though was below the country's record 137 index reading in the second half of 2006, the highest reading for any country in the Nielsen consumer confidence index's history.