MEXICO · CONSUMER CONFIDENCE
Key Facts
- Reading Mexico’s consumer confidence index stood at 45.0 points in October 2026.
- Change Down 0.1 point from September’s 45.1 and down 0.6 point from October 2025.
- Weak spot Households’ view of the country’s economy fell 0.5 point, to 38.5 today and 44.3 a year ahead.
- Bright spot Households’ expectations for their own finances rose 0.5 point, to 58.2.
- Next release The November reading is due on 7 December 2026.
- Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 70.8 points (November 2026 edition).
Mexico consumer confidence slipped 0.1 point to 45.0 in October, INEGI, the national statistics office, reported on Thursday 5 November. The index is 0.6 point lower than a year earlier, so Mexican households remain cautious.
Mexico is a top US trading partner, and what its shoppers feel about the economy shapes demand for US-made goods. Households now rate the country’s economy lower than a month ago, which can restrain big purchases.
What INEGI Reported on 5 November
INEGI and Banxico, Mexico’s central bank, publish the index together after a monthly household survey. The seasonally adjusted October reading came in at 45.0 points, against 45.1 in September.
The monthly change of minus 0.1 point is small, but it follows a larger drop of 1.2 points in September. Two months in a row of lower readings show that the mood has not recovered.
Compared with October 2025, the index is down 0.6 point. INEGI adjusts the figures for seasonal patterns, which makes months easier to compare.
How Households Rated the Country
Of the five parts that make up the index, the two that look at the country’s economy both fell. Households’ view of the economy today dropped 0.5 point to 38.5, and their outlook for the next 12 months dropped 0.5 point to 44.3.
Both readings sit well below the household-level gauges, which means people are more worried about the nation than about their own budgets. Against October 2025, the view of today’s economy is down 2.0 points and the 12-month outlook is down 2.1 points.
The third gauge that slipped is how households rate their own situation compared with a year ago. It lost 0.1 point and now stands at 51.8.
Where Households Felt Better
Two parts of the index improved in October. Households’ expectations for their own finances over the next 12 months rose 0.5 point to 58.2, the highest of the five parts.
The second gain is the sense that now is a good time to buy durable goods such as furniture, televisions and washing machines. That gauge rose 0.3 point to 32.4 and is 1.2 points above October 2025.
Jobs, Saving and Big Purchases
INEGI also tracks ten smaller questions, and households’ view of jobs in the country rose 0.2 point to 44.8. That is still 2.6 points lower than a year ago.
The share of households able to save part of their income rose 2.9 points to 42.0. People’s ability to buy everyday items such as clothes, shoes and food fell 1.4 points to 42.7.
Plans to buy a new or used car in the next two years rose 0.5 point to 15.4. Plans to buy, build or remodel a home also rose 0.5 point, to 19.2.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
INEGI is the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, the Mexican government agency that counts the economy, the population and prices. Banxico, the Bank of Mexico, is the central bank that sets interest rates.
The survey behind the index is the National Survey of Consumer Confidence, known as ENCO, which asks households about their finances and about the country. The index averages five of its questions into one number.
A reading is seasonally adjusted when regular calendar effects, such as holiday shopping, are removed. That lets readers compare one month with another.
What It Means for You
For US readers, a cautious Mexican household is a slower market for exporters of food, appliances, cars and clothing. US retailers and brands with Mexican stores watch this index for early signs of weaker spending.
The index also matters to visitors and expats, because households that feel poorer tend to cut back on dining out and travel. A steady but low reading signals caution, not a sudden shock, and the August economic activity report adds wider context.
What Is Not Known
Whether confidence recovers or slides further will show in INEGI’s November reading, due on 7 December 2026. INEGI can answer that question on that date.
How much of the mood comes from prices, jobs or the outlook for US trade is not broken down in the headline index. INEGI’s detailed tables, published with each release, show the household answers behind each part.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mexico consumer confidence index?
It is a monthly score of how Mexican households feel about their finances and the economy. INEGI and Banxico build it from five survey questions.
What was the October 2026 reading?
The index stood at 45.0 points, down 0.1 point from September’s 45.1. It is 0.6 point below October 2025.
What part of the index fell the most?
Households’ view of the country’s economy fell the most, dropping 0.5 point to 38.5 for today and 44.3 for 12 months ahead. Both gauges are about 2 points below a year earlier.
When is the next reading?
INEGI publishes November’s reading on 7 December 2026. The release will show whether the mood has recovered.
Sources: INEGI and Banco de México, Indicador de Confianza del Consumidor, October 2026 bulletin 681/26, 5 November 2026; INEGI and Banco de México, Indicador de Confianza del Consumidor, September 2026 bulletin 617/26, 6 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief