Finland’s consumer confidence indicator improved to -10.5 in May 2026 from -12.5 in April, but remained well below its long-term average of -2.9. Households were less pessimistic about their current financial situation (-3.0 vs -6.7 in April) and about their finances over the next 12 months (4.6 vs 0.7). Expectations for the national economy also brightened modestly (-21.9 vs -23.2), although assessments of both personal finances and the broader economic outlook stayed clearly weak.
Consumers continued to view the timing for purchasing durable goods as distinctly unfavorable, even if slightly less so than before (-16.8 vs -21.5), and overall spending intentions remained muted. Plans to buy a dwelling slipped to 9.1 from 9.5, marking the lowest level recorded since 1998. Intentions to take out a loan (14.6% vs 17.0%) and to purchase a car (12.5% vs 13.6%) also weakened. At the same time, sentiment regarding the labor market stayed gloomy, while inflation expectations remained elevated, with expected inflation unchanged at 4.4% over the next 12 months.
