Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index

Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index -

The Consumer Comfort Index has lost 3.7 points from its recent high two weeks ago, dropping to minus 35.5 on its scale of minus 100 to plus 100, its weakest since October 7. According to the Bloomberg report, the change could reflect the strain of post-holiday bills (mid-January dips are common), rising gasoline prices, the still-challenged job-market – or a combination of them all.
A separate result similarly points to difficulties in sustaining improvement in consumer views: Thirty-six percent of Americans now say the national economy is getting worse, versus 29 percent who say it is getting better. After reaching a 10-year high in November, "getting better" sentiment has lost 8 points in two months.
Just 28 percent call it a good time to buy things, the fewest since late September and below 30 percent for only the third time in that period.
Even fewer, 20 percent, rate the national economy positively; eight in 10 say it is still hurting. On the positive side, this measure has held at 20 percent or more for five weeks straight, a first since March 2008 – but it is still 15 points below its long-term average.

Econoday Economic Report: Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index January 17, 2013