No splurges, no risks: Ipsos says Malaysians tighten wallets as inflation bites

“KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Consumer confidence among Malaysians declined steeply in April as inflation continued to soar, but remained considerably higher than that of their international peers, an Ipsos report said today. The Ipsos Consumer Confidence Index for April 2026 noted that confidence in Malaysia dropped by 6.1 per cent, the second‑sharpest decline after Thailand in the region. Still, Malaysian consumers’ confidence ranked second‑highest in Asean and fourth‑highest globally. Inflation appeared as the most pressing concern for consumers globally, but was only the second‑biggest worry for Malaysians after financial or political corruption. This is despite inflation in Malaysia recording an eight per cent month‑on‑month increase in April. However, Malaysians are clearly tightening their purse strings amid price pressures triggered by supply chain disruptions linked to the war in Iran. Only 45 per cent of respondents polled in April were comfortable making major purchases, down from 57 per cent last month. Similarly, 51 per cent of respondents said they were comfortable making household purchases compared to 61 per cent in March 2026. The survey also reported that fewer Malaysians felt confident about job security or about committing to future investments in April compared to March. The survey, conducted between March 20 and April 3, polled 21,200 adults aged between 16 and 74 across 30 countries.

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