UK Consumer Confidence Unchanged In December

(RTTNews) - The GfK NOP indicator of UK consumer confidence was unchanged at -21 in December, compared to expectations for a score of -22, the research group said on Tuesday.

A fall in the index was prevented by the climate for major purchases index, which rose to -7 from -17 in November, as the run up to Christmas and the necessity to beat the VAT increase in January rose shoppers' appetite for so-called "big-ticket" items.

All other components of the index fell in December and GfK NOP said without the temporary boost in the climate for major purchases index, consumer confidence would have fallen to its lowest level in one year.