There has been a small drop in consumer confidence, according to the last Westpac McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence Index for 2009.
The index dropped just over three points from 120.3 in the September quarter - which was a four-year high - to 116.9 in the December quarter.
A score above 100 shows there are more optimists than pessimists, and the reverse for a score below 100.
The index found that people were generally positive about present conditions, with a net 20.9% of respondents saying there are worse off financially now compared to a year ago. This is slightly less than the 21.9% recorded in the September quarter, and significantly better than the net 40.7% recorded in June last year.
However, when polled on the future, fewer people expect good economic times over the next five years. In the December quarter, a net 52.4% of respondents expected good economic times down from a net 62.8% in September.
Similarly, fewer people believe there will be good economic times in the next 12 months, with a net 14.4% in December compared with 17% last quarter.
Those people expecting a more profitable time in the next 12 months also ebbed, down from the seven-year high of a net 24.3% in September, to 19.6%.
Westpac says a surprising result was large declines in confidence in the secondary and rural areas despite Fonterra's boosted payout for the current season.
The biggest rises in confidence was seen in Auckland and Wellington.
Despite the decline in overall consumer confidence, Westpac says confidence remains at a high level.
