According to a Q1 2011 survey, 39.2 percent of mobile consumers in Spain now have smartphones. Nokia’s Symbian operating system remains the most popular with 65 percent market share, despite a 9 point decline since Q4 2010.

While global consumer confidence continues the slow but steady climb upward from the lows experienced in the first quarter of 2009, consumer spending is following a similar trajectory.

Global consumer confidence edged up slightly as rising Asian markets were offset by Europe’s growing concerns of an escalating debt crisis according to the Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index.

As the curtain fell on the World Cup and team and player performances were analyzed across the world, The Nielsen Company looked at how the official FIFA website performed across a number of countries that participated in the tournament.

Yesterday’s World Cup Final between Spain and the Netherlands drew a total of 24.3 million U.S. viewers, making it the most watched soccer game in U.S. television history, according to The Nielsen Company.

The first quarter of 2010 shows a positive trend in nominal value growth rates in most countries, which was driven primarily through volume growth improvement… However, the economic turmoil reached Eastern Europe with a 12-month lag.

With the World Cup kickoff just hours away, the tournament is on the mind – and broadband – of soccer fans worldwide. The Nielsen Company looked at the differences in what was driving the World Cup conversation online across seven different countries.

On average, global web users across 10 countries spent roughly five and a half hours on social networks in February 2010, up more than two hours from the same time last year.

Based on the widest possible basket of product categories in Europe, the fourth quarter 2009 showed nominal growth, which has remained stable since the prior quarter, and around 3% for four consecutive quarters.

Global consumers are increasingly feeling confident about the economy and their finances. While Asia is leading the rebound, signs point to improved consumer behavior in other parts of the world.