Agadir – Moroccan households’ confidence declined in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, as perceptions of living standards, financial conditions, and purchasing opportunities remained largely negative, according to the High Commission for Planning (HCP).
The Household Confidence Index (HCI) stood at 60.1 points in the second quarter of 2026, down from 64.4 points in the previous quarter, but up from 54.6 points recorded during the same quarter of 2025, according to the HCP’s permanent household confidence survey.
The HCP said the index reflects households’ perceptions of the evolution of living standards, unemployment, opportunities to purchase durable goods, and their financial situation.
Living standards remain a source of concern
Households continued to report a deterioration in their standard of living over the past 12 months.
According to the HCP, 78.3% of households reported a decline in their standard of living during the past year, while 16.5% said it remained unchanged and 5.2% reported an improvement.
The balance of opinion for this indicator stood at -73.1 points, compared with -69.3 points in the previous quarter and -69.2 points one year earlier.
Regarding expectations for the next 12 months, the HCP said 51% of households expected their standard of living to worsen, while 39.7% expected stability and 9.3% anticipated an improvement.
The related balance of opinion reached -41.7 points, compared with -28.8 points in the previous quarter and -35.2 points during the same quarter of 2025.
Households expect unemployment to rise
Households’ expectations regarding unemployment remained negative during the second quarter of 2026.
The HCP reported that 57.2% of households expected unemployment to increase over the next 12 months, while 18.4% expected a decline and 24.4% anticipated stability.
The opinion balance related to unemployment expectations stood at -38.8 points, compared with -34.7 points in the previous quarter. However, it improved compared with the same quarter of 2025, when it stood at -57.5 points.
Durable goods purchases seen as unfavorable
Most households considered the economic environment unfavorable for purchasing durable goods, such as household appliances, furniture, and other long-lasting items
The HCP reported that 65.3% of households said the current period was not suitable for buying durable goods, while 14.7% considered it an appropriate time for such purchases.
The opinion balance for this indicator stood at -50.6 points, improving slightly from -51 points in the previous quarter and -62.8 points in the same quarter of 2025.
Household financial situation shows mixed trends
Regarding their current financial situation, 58.7% of households said their income covered their expenses, while 38.7% reported borrowing or drawing on their savings. Meanwhile, 2.6% said they were able to save part of their income.
The HCP said the opinion balance related to households’ current financial situation reached -36.1 points, compared with -35 points in the previous quarter and -38.8 points in the same quarter of the previous year.
Looking at changes over the previous 12 months, 43.8% of households said their financial situation had declined, compared with 4.9% who reported an improvement.
The opinion balance for this indicator stood at -38.9 points, compared with -36.7 points in the previous quarter and -45.9 points in the second quarter of 2025.
For the next 12 months, 17.8% of households expected an improvement in their financial situation, 64.5% expected stability, and 17.7% anticipated deterioration.
The HCP said the opinion balance for future financial expectations stood at 0.1 points, compared with 5.8 points in the previous quarter and -8.5 points during the same quarter of 2025.
Savings capacity and food prices remain concerns
The survey also showed that households remained pessimistic about their ability to save over the coming year.
The opinion balance related to households’ capacity to save over the next 12 months stood at -80.9 points, compared with -75.7 points in the previous quarter and -82.6 points one year earlier.
Regarding food prices, households maintained negative perceptions. The opinion balance related to the past evolution of food prices reached -97 points, compared with -92.7 points in the previous quarter and -92.5 points in the same quarter of 2025.
For expectations over the next 12 months, the opinion balance related to food prices stood at -75.2 points, compared with -76.5 points in the previous quarter and -76.6 points during the same quarter of 2025.
The HCP calculates the Household Confidence Index based on seven indicators covering living standards, unemployment expectations, purchasing opportunities for durable goods, and households’ current and future financial situations.
