Australia Consumer Sentiment Slips in January on Omicron Surge

Australian household sentiment dropped this month in response to a surge of coronavirus cases that exacerbated existing supply chain problems and prompted shoppers to turn more cautious.

The consumer confidence index fell 2% to 102.2 points in January, Westpac Banking Corp. said in a statement Wednesday. Optimists still outnumbered pessimists, with 100 points the dividing line between the two.