Paraguay's Consumer Confidence Index (ICC) registered a sharp decline in April 2026, reaching 40.17 points, according to data released this Monday by the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) in partnership with the National Institute of Statistics (INE). The result represents a drop of 11.15 points compared to March (51.32) and 9.27 points compared to April 2025 (49.44), placing the indicator back in the pessimism zone.
The survey, based on 400 households with interviews of individuals over 18 years of age, showed that consumer perception was impacted by both external and internal uncertainties. Between March and April, there were relevant changes in the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), and former minister Carlos Fernández Valdovinos, before leaving office, had announced a 'war economy' due to falling revenue, the effect of the dollar, and the accumulation of debts with suppliers.
The Economic Situation Index (ISE), which measures the current perception of the household and national economy, fell to 29.33 points, compared to 38.42 in March and 34.84 in April 2025. The Economic Expectations Index (IEE), which assesses future prospects, dropped to 51.00 points, against 64.21 in the previous month and 64.00 in the same period last year.
Despite the sharp depreciation of the dollar — which fell about 25% on an annual basis and closed Monday quoted at G. 6,170 in the effective exchange rate — consumers showed less willingness to purchase durable goods, such as cars, motorcycles, and household appliances. In year‑on‑year terms, all categories of goods registered results lower than those of April 2025, according to the BCP report.