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ine out of 10 Indonesian consumers are upbeat about their financial situation for next year, making the country the third-most confident country in the world, a survey says.

 A Nielsen online survey on the consumer confidence index revealed on Wednesday that 86 percent of Indonesian respondents considered that their financial state would be excellent or good over the next 12 months.

“With our GDP per capita reaching US$3,000, consumers are more confident about their personal situation. Besides personal finances, we see an increase in the proportion of consumers who feel secure about the job market,” managing director of Nielsen in Indonesia Catherine Eddy told a press conference on Wednesday.

“The 86 percent accumulation comprises of 72 percent saying their personal finances are ‘good’ and 14 percent ‘excellent’. With a total of 86 percent satisfaction, Indonesia ranks 1st globally.

However, Catherine said that Indonesian consumers intended to be more cautious when it came to spending their money. Sixty eight percent of respondents still preferred to save their spare cash after covering essential living expenses. Twenty nine percent of respondents liked to spend their money on holidays and on paying off their debts. Buying the latest gadgets came later with 28 percent. This means that Indonesian consumers are among the biggest savers in the region, compared with Hong Kong (71 percent), the Philippines (69 percent), Taiwan (67 percent) and Singapore (66 percent).

“They [Indonesians] might be very confident of their personal situations. However, they are also aware that since they are exposed to the global financial crisis, even they have to be more careful with spending their money,” she said.

“There is still a degree of caution with this latest consumer index. I believe the recent turmoil in the US and Europe is leading to consumer concern about the potential impact on Indonesia. And this in turn translates into cautious spending,” she added.

The online survey took place between Aug. 30 and Sept. 16 in 56 countries in the regions of Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, North America and Africa. About 28,000 respondents from 56 countries participated in the survey, with some 500 respondents from Indonesia.

In terms of the consumer confidence index, Indonesians remain third with 114 points in this year’s third quarter, an increase of two points from the previous quarter. India is top with 121 points and Saudi Arabia second with 120 points.

“The volatility in global economies and financial markets has made Indonesian consumers feel uncertain about the future of their economy. However, the country’s economic growth remains at a healthy 6.5 percent rate,” Catherine said. (fem)