Canada continues to show a steady increase in consumer confidence, with its index rising to 94, up four points since July and 10 points since April.

Consumers around the world are expressing more confidence about their personal financial situations, according to the most recent Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index.

With hopes for a full economic recovery accelerating in 26 out of the 28 major global markets, consumers around the world might be expected to return to their previous spending patterns.

Nielsen today unveiled the Economic Current, a monthly study that will track key consumer and retailing trends on a global, regional and country-wide basis. Using the vast amount of consumer data collected by Nielsen, the Economic Current will serve as a centralized source of information on key consumer topics such as:
• Market Index volume, in terms of unit and country currency change
• Retail channel shifting
• Shopping frequency and spending trends
• Overall consumer confidence
“Nielsen collects and analyzes data on tens of thousands of products around the world. As we were thinking of new …

Already the sixth largest economy in the world, Russia is growing by leaps and bounds, Ilona Lepp of Nielsen Russia’s Retail Measurement Services reports in the September issue of Nielsen’s “Consumer Insight” online newsletter.
According to the 2008 Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index, Russia is well ahead of the global average of 88, with an index of 105 for the first half of 2008 — up three points over levels in the first half of 2007.
The Russian market, though still in the early stages of development, already has the largest number …