Global consumer confidence fell for a fourth straight week as persistent energy pressures across Europe pulled the worldwide average lower, according to data tracked across 48 markets by Morning Consult.
The global Index of Consumer Sentiment four-week moving average dropped 0.56 points to 97.29, extending a 2.5-point decline from its July 26 peak of 99.77. Despite the recent drop, the index sits 4.1 points above its April 19 low of 93.20.
The broader international decline is increasingly concentrated in Europe, where 15 of 19 tracked markets recorded falling four-week moving averages. While the share of declining markets globally dropped from 71% on Aug. 9 to 60% this week, Europe’s share rose to 79%.
Rising natural gas prices through August have weighed heavily on European sentiment. Winter gas contracts are trading at roughly double their levels from a year ago, and regional storage sits at 63% of capacity—the lowest seasonal level recorded since 2009, according to Bloomberg data.
Delayed tank refills, hot summer demand, and transit reliance on the Strait of Hormuz—which handles about one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas shipments—have left regional reserves thin ahead of autumn.
Europe’s overall moving average slipped 1.02 points to 78.22. Germany posted the sharpest one-month drop of any major market tracked, falling 2.53 points week-over-week to 68.23, an 11% decline over the past month. Spain dropped 1.13 points to 83.83, Italy fell 0.47 points to 70.76, and France remained nearly unchanged at 63.55.
Only Poland and the Czech Republic posted gains from stable baselines. However, Europe’s raw weekly average ticked higher this week, indicating four-week metrics are still processing steeper drops from earlier in the month.
In the Americas, the U.S. held virtually flat for a fourth consecutive week at 90.42, making it the steadiest major market in the survey. Mexico rose 0.65 points to 109.53 and Peru gained 0.58 points to 118.07, leading regional gains. Brazil dipped 0.51 points to 117.09 and Colombia eased 0.25 points to 122.36. Chile remained the lowest-scoring market in the hemisphere at 82.75, followed by Argentina at 85.53 after a second straight weekly fall.
In the Asia-Pacific region, China’s two-month downturn showed signs of stabilizing. China’s four-week average edged down 0.07 points to 158.41 following eight consecutive weekly drops of roughly two points each, while its raw weekly reading rebounded 1.7 points to 157.63. Japan advanced 0.67 points to 64.98, and Thailand gained 0.52 points to 100.28. Singapore dropped 2.83 points to 98.27, falling 8.5% over the past month. Australia fell 3.44 points to 79.79 and South Korea slipped 1.49 points to 84.49, though raw weekly numbers for both countries turned upward.
In the Middle East and Africa, the United Arab Emirates gained 1.20 points to reach 150.65, marking the largest increase in the global dataset. Saudi Arabia held steady at 151.41. Egypt declined 1.47 points to 119.52, marking its fourth consecutive weekly drop. Israel fell 0.53 points to 96.80, Turkey eased 0.59 points to 66.06, and Nigeria gained 0.73 points to reach 118.42.
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