Vietnam ’s consumer confidence index saw a significant increase during the first quarter of the year, said Audit Director of Grant Thornton in Vietnam Alan Dy.

The country’s confidence index jumped from 62 percent to 80 percent, to stand at seventh among the countries most optimistic about economic growth.

According to a recent poll on 5,700 enterprises from 39 worldwide economies launched by Grant Thornton, developed countries recorded active economic signs and the gap among different economies will soon be narrowed, while newly emerging economies will continue to maintain optimism in their development.

The poll also reported that 43 percent of Vietnamese businesses believed that the lack of proficient labourers will hinder the country’s economic growth, with responses among businesses in India , Brazil , Thailand , China , and South Africa at 51, 49, 40, 46 and 37 percent, respectively. The shortage of proficient labourers will affect confidence among enterprises in newly emerging markets, which is a real challenge to economic growth, said General Director of Grant Thornton in Vietnam, Ken Atkinson.