Ipsos Consumer Confidence Index Q3 2026

Below are the key insights: 

• Country Direction: ~ Only 1 in 4 Pakistanis believe the country is on the right track, with optimism higher among females, middle & lower classes, rural residents, and in Punjab & Baluchistan 
• Confidence in the country’s direction being right remains broadly stable at 24%, but has more than doubled from the 11% recorded in August 2024, marking a notable recovery from the deep pessimism seen two years ago. 
• Economic concerns remain dominated by inflation, unemployment and poverty.
• Most worrying issues: Economic concerns remain dominant, with inflation declining by 9pp to 69% and unemployment easing by 1pp to 68%, while concerns over poverty rise by 5pp. Worries about electricity prices increase by 9pp to 35%, alongside a 2pp rise in concerns over additional taxes. 
• Current State of Economy: ~1 in 7 Pakistanis believes the economy is strong, with optimism relatively higher among men, adults, upper-class, and residents of Punjab and Sindh. 
• Household Purchases: ~ Only 1 in 10 Pakistanis feel comfortable with household purchases, with comfort highest among urbanites, upper-middle-class groups, youth, and residents of Punjab and Sindh. 
• Comfort in making household purchases rises to 10%, up 3pp, indicating a return to stabilization after a dip last quarter. 
• Expectations from Economy: 1 in 4 Pakistanis expects the economy to strengthen, with optimism stronger among urbanites, affluent groups, and in Baluchistan. 
• Expectations from Economy: Optimism rises by 1pp to 23%, nearly doubling from 12% same period two years ago, The latest movement signals a gradual return toward stabilization. 
• Personal Financial Situation: declines sharply to 19%, down 12pp, with relatively higher sentiment among youth and adults, men, urban residents, Sindh and KPK, and upper-income groups. 
• Personal financial optimism rises by 4pp to 35%, moving back toward peak levels and signaling improving confidence in personal financial prospects.
• Confidence in Invest: Only 15% of Pakistanis are confident about investing, with confidence relatively higher among females, urban residents, Sindh and Punjab residents, affluent groups, and youth. 
• Confidence to invest rises to 15%, remaining largely stable for nearly a year.
• Confidence in making major purchases: Only 1 in 7 Pakistanis express confidence, with confidence higher among urbanites, Sindh residents, affluent groups and youth. 
• Comfort in making major purchases rises by 2pp to 7%, marking an improvement after remaining low for an extended period. 
• Confidence in Job Security: Only 16% of Pakistanis feel secure in their jobs, with relatively higher confidence among females, urbanites, Punjab residents, lower-middle-class groups, and youth. 
• Confidence in job security declines by 1pp to 16%, returning to the same level as August 2024, highlighting continued caution around job security. 
• Pakistan’s consumer confidence edges up by 0.4 points, while confidence declines in India (-0.9 points) but rises in Türkiye (+1.2 points), South Africa (+1.6 points) and Brazil (+4.2 points).
• Consumer Confidence Index in Pakistan edged up to 33.6 in Q3 2026, rising 0.4 points from 33.2, signalling a modest improvement in consumer sentiment.