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Consumer Comfort Approaches 2015 Lows

MORE “RECOVERY …” IF YOU CAN STAND IT || By FITSNEWS || On the heels of disappointing national income data, consumer comfort in the United States slipped this week. Bloomberg’s Consumer Comfort Index (CCI) – which measures consumer comfort on a scale of zero to 100 – dipped to 40.2, its…

MORE “RECOVERY …” IF YOU CAN STAND IT

|| By FITSNEWS || On the heels of disappointing national income data, consumer comfort in the United States slipped this week.

Bloomberg’s Consumer Comfort Index (CCI) – which measures consumer comfort on a scale of zero to 100 – dipped to 40.2, its second-lowest reading of the year.   Meanwhile consumers’ view of the national economy – one of three sub-indices which comprise the total – slipped to its lowest level of 2015.

“Worries about the national economy come as the Fed approaches decision time on interest rates,” analysts noted.  “While gas prices have fallen 34 cents since mid-August and unemployment is its lowest since 2008, wage growth remains stagnant and stock market volatility continues domestically and internationally alike.”

Wait … falling gas prices haven’t stimulated the economy?  Hmmmm.

And low unemployment isn’t stimulating it either?  Again … hmmmm.

Here’s the index …

consumer comfort

Here are its three subindices …

consumer comfort subindices

And perhaps most importantly, here’s a look at the evolution of economic optimism versus economic pessimism in our country right now …

consumer comfort economy

Produced by Langer Research Associates, CCI data is based on 1,000 national random-sample landline and cellular telephone interviews, 250 per week (in a four-week rolling average). It’s been compiled weekly since December 1985.

For the full report in .pdf form, click here.

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11 comments

Oh Jesus Brace Yourselves! September 17, 2015 at 5:00 pm

It hasn’t been this low since… since… earlier this year!!

Reply
James September 17, 2015 at 5:07 pm

If you listen, watch, read news, mainstream and new, all you hear is Trump, Trump, Trump, about how awful everything is. Not to mention the asshole in the White House, not exactly confidence inspiring there, either. It is not hard to believe that a random 1000 Americans, who actually answer the phone from a number they do not know, and have time to answer survey questions, will state they think the economy sucks.

Reply
Rocky Verdad September 17, 2015 at 5:28 pm

So not wanting to poo poo on your spin there Wil, but you’re saying itl’s lowest in 2015, which is still well above 2014? So – for a four year trend line, things are still heading —– up!!!

Reply
erneba September 17, 2015 at 5:36 pm

And there is nothing out there to indicate that the economy will get any better any time soon.
The economic problems of 2008 and 2009 and its continuing effects were brought about by misguided government programs. Some that had been in place for years and some that were fairly new. We did not have an Industrial Revolution in this country because a group of politicians in Washington drew up a ‘master plan’ and then legislated it into existence.
Government alone, can not drive economic success in this country, but the government can certainly limit or kill success. Will we get back to truly free markets or continue to stumble along while being outpaced by the likes of China, India, etc.

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Hank September 17, 2015 at 6:21 pm

You logic is weak. Why will we be outpaced by China and India when our markets are a lot freer than theirs? If free markets is the issue we should be kicking ass, instead of all of those controlled markets always winning.

As for the industrial Revolution, that started in England and moved here from there. Our markets did not kick it off. And that era sucked big time for most of the people in the US. Not to mention the fact our government propped up numerous monopolies, allowing them to seize the land of poor farmers, and use their monopoly power to put their competitors out of business. Doesn’t sound like a free market to me. But don’t let facts get in the way of your wingnut roll.

I think you are probably are a Fake News, Glen Beck watcher. You seem to have the education and mentality for that group.

Reply
Mark September 17, 2015 at 6:00 pm

What a joke. These numbers are good. Look at the trendline on consumer comfort. The downtick is a normal fluctuation. That is why you have a trend line. We have been going up steadily for years now. As for the right wing there is no indication the economy is getting better BS; the US economy is fundamentally doing well. The rest of the world is holding us back some, but we are so much better than we were when Bush left office its not even comparable.

Unemployment down
Median income up
housing prices up
stock market way up
consumer confidence up
inflation low
interest rates low
dollar up against major currencies
corporations have record profits
oil prices down

Anyone who continues to believe this wingnut BS about the economy not improving is a moron.

Reply
Brian September 17, 2015 at 6:55 pm

The Republicans have to spread non-sense like this, because they fear that one day the people of this country will wake up from their long sleep and realize that the economy is actually much better. But even more terrifying than that, is the possibility that one day people will stop paying attention to their anti-black, anti-hispanic, anti-gay, they’re taking away our guns, bull shit distractions and realize that historically most Americans do a hell of a lot better under Democrats than they do under Republicans.

Reply
Rocky Verdad September 18, 2015 at 8:15 am

This one was so transparently blatant even Tango couldn’t comment about how Crapville everything is.

Reply
flip September 18, 2015 at 8:31 am

Not at all. 92 million unemployed and 40 million on Food Stamps.Economy is weak so they didn’t raise interest rates.The extended run up in the stock market, which long-term requires a healthy economy for strong profits, is in the early to mid-stage of a bubble. This is evidenced by a reading of 126.8% in the “total market cap to GDP” ratio (100% is fairly valued).Market heading for a BIG decline.

Unless and until a new Republican regime is installed in the White House, one which is more business friendly and less concerned with remaining in power, the economy will continue to fail.

Reply
Rocky Verdad September 18, 2015 at 10:54 am

Ah, the 92 million unemployed. Then Bush must have been a real failure too, with 79 million unemployed in 2007 – since we want to the the non-particiaption number – right? Can you believe it, in 2007, when Bush was the God – he allowed 79 million Americans to unemployed. Golly, how did we ever survive.

Reply
ebt September 18, 2015 at 11:29 am

Although the pResident often rails against income inequality in America, his policies have had little impact overall on poverty. A record 47 million Americans receive food stamps, about 13 million more than when he took office.

The poverty rate has stood at 15 percent for three consecutive years, the first time that has happened since the mid-1960s. The poverty rate in 1965 was 17.3 percent; it was 12.5 percent in 2007, before the Great Recession.

About 50 million Americans live below the poverty line, which the federal government defined in 2012 as an annual income of $23,492 for a family of four.

Reply

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