Jakarta – The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating for the third quarter of 2007 remained steady, increasing a mere 0.1 points to 112.8 from the previous quarter.

This level is 3.5 points higher than the 109.3 recorded in the same period of 2006, but is still a distant 6.4 points lower than the confidence level of the third quarter of 2005, prior to the fuel price hikes of 2005.

Although there are still more people who say they are currently worse off than a year ago compared to those who say they are better off, more than half of all Indonesians feel their circumstances have not changed, according to a quarterly survey conducted by Roy Morgan Research Indonesia.

The survey indicates that 31 percent of Indonesians (down 3 percent), said they are worse off then a year ago, and 16 percent (down 4 percent) said they are better off than a year ago. Those who said their circumstances had remained the same jumped from 46 percent to 53 percent in the third quarter.

In terms of buying major household items, the percentages are also the same as last quarter, according to the survey, which was based on interviews with about 6,500 respondents aged 14 and over.

The survey shows that the majority at 67 percent still consider now is a bad time to buy, with only 29 percent of Indonesians saying it is good time to buy.

Regarding their personal circumstances in the future, more people are optimistic: 45 percent (up 1 percent) expect to be better off financially this time next year, while only 10 percent (down 1 percent) expect to be worse off.

Indonesians continue to be positive about the country's long-term future, with 81 percent expecting good economic conditions over the next five years (up 1 percent), and only 18 percent (down 2 percent) expecting bad economic conditions.

Short-term expectations of good economic conditions for the country are also high, with 60 percent expecting good times economically, although this number is down by 1 percent. On the other hand, 40 percent (up 2 percent) expect bad economic conditions over the coming year.

Ira Soekirman, the director of Roy Morgan Research Indonesia, said that although the Indonesian economy had grown faster in the third quarter of 2007, this had not affected ordinary Indonesians, as reflected in the Consumer Confidence Index for the quarter, which remained at the same level as in the second quarter.

"Wealth, if it is concentrated in the hands of the affluent minority, does little to affect the lives of the majority," Ira said.