Glass Half-Full, Half-Empty

Australians are divided in their outlook for both the domestic economy and the global sharemarket according to two new CoreData Australia polls – with two out of five either optimistic or pessimistic on both issues.

The opposing opinions could be the result of the so-called dual economy that economists and commentators have been alluding two for the past two years or the fact that people innately have either a glass half-empty or half-full outlook.

Nonetheless, the findings revealed that 41.6% of people were either ‘very optimistic’ or ‘optimistic’ as to the outlook for the domestic economy for 2008, while only 40.3% were either ‘pessimistic’ or ‘very pessimistic’.

Within this 14.6% of people were ‘very pessimistic’ with only 8.6% polling the opposite end of the spectrum in being ‘very optimistic’.

The poll commenced on the 18th January, and had almost 2,500 responses in the five days it ran (excluding those who respond via this newsletter).

Optimism About Australia’s Economy

Share market sentiment meanwhile, which was recorded during last week’s topsy turvey share ride, was tending more towards the negative with almost half (47.1) of the more than 1,500 people polled to date having a negative outlook.

29.7% were ‘very pessimistic’ and predicted more losses to come, while 17.8% were ‘mildly pessimistic’ in their outlook for global sharemarkets.

<Global Share Market Sentiment