Finnish Consumer Morale at Near 2-Year Low

Finland’s consumer confidence declined to -10.5 in February 2026 from -8.7 in the previous month, marking its lowest level since April 2024 and moving further below the long-term average of -2.8. Households’ assessments of their own finances continued to weaken (-5.5 vs -3 in January), alongside increasingly pessimistic views on the broader Finnish economy, both currently (-44.4 vs -41.8) and over the next 12 months (-17.9 vs -16). Consumers also viewed it as a less favorable time to purchase durable goods (-20.9 vs -15), take out loans (-34.3 vs -29.9), or make major home purchases (11.2 vs 11.8). Moreover, inflation expectations rose, both for the present (4.6% vs 4.1%) and for a year ahead (4.0% vs 3.5%). Although concerns about unemployment eased slightly, sentiment remained subdued regarding the general unemployment outlook (-25.6 vs -26.5) and the perceived personal threat of unemployment (-16.0 vs -18.4).