FX.co ★ Australian Consumer Sentiment Edges Higher in May, PCSI Rises to 48.35

Australia’s consumer confidence improved in May, with the Thomson Reuters IPSOS Primary Consumer Sentiment Index (PCSI) climbing to 48.35, up from 46.04 in April 2026. The latest reading, updated on 15 May 2026, signals a month-over-month strengthening in sentiment as households reassess their outlook on the economy.

The move higher in May follows April’s lower base, when the index stood at 46.04. On a month-over-month basis, the current figure reflects a more optimistic stance among Australian consumers compared with the previous month, while the April reading itself had represented a weaker position than the month before it. The May data therefore points to a tentative recovery in confidence after earlier softness in the index.

Within the PCSI framework, the “Actual” comparison captures how May’s improvement stacks up against April, while the “Previous” comparison relates April’s change versus March. Together, these readings suggest that Australian consumer sentiment, while still below the neutral 50-mark, is moving in a more positive direction as of May 2026.