BERLIN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The German consumer climate is expected to have a strong start into the new year, with predicted overall reading at 9.9 points for January 2017 from 9.8 points in December 2016, market research group GfK reported on Friday.
According to GfK, economic expectations have increased slightly, while income expectations have seen significant growth. However, propensity to buy has suffered moderate losses.
"Consumers are remaining optimistic as 2016 draws to a close," commented Rolf Buerkl, an analyst for GfK.
Buerkl said that consumers seem to be totally immune to a series of risk factors, such as the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, Brexit, the flare-up in the financial crisis in Italy following the failed referendum and the resignation of the prime minister, and the persistently high terror threat.
The GfK consumer climate survey has been conducted since 1980. Its findings are based on around 2,000 consumer interviews conducted each month on behalf of the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union.
