KARACHI: Dun & Bradstreet Pakistan and Gallup Pakistan have released the 20th edition of the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for the third quarter of FY2026, revealing a sharp deterioration in sentiment. The index fell to 65.3, down from 86.4 in the previous quarter, a 24.4% decline. The report highlights a two-fold view of consumers’ current sentiment and their future outlook of the economy. While the current sentiment dropped to 51.8, the future outlook is relatively better standing at 78.7. Both however lower than the previous quarter.
The CCI tracks consumer perceptions of the economy and personal finances by looking at four parameters, including household financial situation, national economic conditions, unemployment, and savings. According to the FY Q3 survey, which was conducted among 1,592 respondents, inflation remains the dominant concern, with 89.3% of respondents reporting price hikes for essential goods in the last six months. Unemployment also intensified as a source of strain, with 81% of respondents saying joblessness had worsened over the past six months. Confidence around household sentiments too, however, did not offer much relief, as close to 40% of respondents expect their own finances to worsen further in the next six months.
Bilal Gilani, Executive Director Gallup Pakistan says, “The Q3 2026 reading of 65.3 places Pakistan firmly in extremely pessimistic territory, the sharpest single-cycle drop we have recorded in recent years. What stands out is that this isn’t a crisis of expectations alone: the current sentiment index has fallen to 51.8, meaning people are not just worried about tomorrow, they are struggling today.’’
The pessimism wasn’t evenly distributed. Respondents aged 50 and above showed the steepest drop in confidence, by 30.4%, while respondents aged below 30 had a relatively less steep drop but were still much less optimistic than the last survey.
Zubair Qureshi, Chief Business Officer at Dun & Bradstreet Pakistan, added: “These numbers show consumers are under real pressure right now. Confidence won’t recover on its own; it will take visible improvement on both fronts before sentiment shifts. This is exactly the kind of signal businesses and policymakers need as they assess risk and plan for the months ahead.”
