SA consumers more stressed

STRUGGLING consumers felt more stressed in the first quarter of this year compared to the last quarter of last year. The MMI/ Unisa Consumer Financial Vulnerability Index measures sentiments in relation to income, expenditure, savings and debt servicing. The index declined from 52.71 points in the fourth quarter of last year to 52.32 points in the first quarter of this year. Shelley van der Westhuizen of MMI said yesterday the drop did not come as a surprise given the uncertainties in the macroeconomic environment including the cabinet reshuffle, credit rating downgrade, rising unemployment and negative GDP growth. – Siseko Njobeni