Consumer confidence in Paraguay suffered a sharp setback in April 2026, with the Consumer Confidence Index (ICC) falling to 40.17 points, well below the 51.32 points recorded in March and also lower than the 49.44 points of April 2025. The monthly drop of 11.15 points brought the indicator back to pessimistic territory, as values below 50 indicate predominantly unfavorable perceptions.
The largest decline occurred in the Economic Situation Index (ISE), which measures perception of the current situation. The ISE fell to 29.33 points, from 38.42 in the previous month, and also remained below the level of April 2025. In contrast, the Economic Expectations Index (IEE), which reflects consumers' views on the economy a year from now, reached 51 points. Although it registered a monthly and year-on-year decline of more than 13 points, the IEE still remained slightly above the neutral zone, indicating that a mild expectation of improvement persists.
The survey also revealed a reduction in the propensity to save: only 15.5% of respondents said they had conditions to save, a percentage lower than the previous month and than April 2025. Additionally, the intention to purchase durable goods, such as cars, motorcycles, and household appliances, decreased, with the exception of the housing category, which showed improvement compared to the previous month. On an annual comparison, all categories had results lower than those of April 2025.
One of the most negative data points in the report was the perception of the national economy: 74% of respondents considered that the country's economic situation is worse than a year ago, while only 26% believe it is the same or better. Despite this, when asked about prospects for the next twelve months, a significant portion still expects stability or some improvement, which allowed the expectations index to remain in positive territory.
The data were released by the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP), responsible for compiling the ICC.