The majority of the population expects a rise in prices

As opposed to earlier increase, the Consumer Confidence Index fell by 18 points in the last quarter of 2010, similarly to the Consumer Expectation Index that plummeted by 34 points if compared with the previous quarter. The Purchasing Willingness Index kept stagnating, probably due to the Christmas season. Ákos Kozák, GfK Hungária’s director told that in December 35 percent of the population thought that the level of unemployment would grow (earlier 25 percent said so) and 85 percent of them expected an increase in prices. About one quarter of the population thought that the time was not right to take out loans (in the previous period this ratio was 30 percent) and about two thirds of them would never do it; 57 percent expected a decrease in their real income.