Swiss consumer confidence declined more than economists forecast in April as a worsening growth outlook damped sentiment.

An index based on a quarterly survey of some 1,100 households fell to 2 last month from 14 in January, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Bern said today. Economists expected the index to drop to 10, according to the median of 10 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey.

Slowing global growth, increased raw-material costs and losses from the U.S. housing crisis are leading to job cuts at companies including UBS AG, the country's largest bank, which may encourage households to cut back spending. At the same time, people may have less money to spend as a surge in prices for oil and foods including rice, corn and wheat increases household expenses.