Belizeans Show Growing Optimism About Economy in January

According to the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), Belize’s Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for January 2025 showed a major improvement, which means that Belizeans are feeling more “optimistic about the economy and their own economic prospects.”

The CCI jumped from 48.0 to 50.5, a 5.2% increase from December 2024, SIB reported. Key to this increase were improvements in the ‘Present’ and ‘Durable Goods’ components.

The ‘Present’ sub-index surged by 12.9%, reflecting more positive views of current economic conditions. Confidence in making major purchases like homes and cars grew by 5.9%.

Meanwhile, expectations for future economic conditions dipped slightly by 1%, with the ‘Expectations’ sub-index falling to 59.6.

The Cayo district recorded the highest gain, with confidence climbing 11.4% to 52.4, while Stann Creek experienced a 6.5% decline.

While urban consumers saw an 8% rise in confidence, rural areas also showed improvement with a 3.1% increase. Confidence was notably higher among men, whose sentiment rose by 4.7%, while women saw a more modest increase of 0.8%.

The Mestizo/Hispanic group saw the largest rise in confidence, with a 12% increase, reflecting stronger sentiment in both present conditions and major purchases. In contrast, the ‘Other’ group experienced a 6% decline in consumer confidence.