March Consumer Confidence Marks Sharpest Fall After Quake

The Cabinet Office announced that the Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 38.6 in March from 41.2 in February. Confidence among Japanese consumers deteriorated after the March 11 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. All 4 components of the CCI (livelihoods, income growth, employment conditions, and the timing of new durable goods purchases) marked declines.