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Americans' confidence in newspapers fell slightly to 23% this year, from 25% in 2012 and 28% in 2011. The percentage of Americans saying they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in newspapers has been generally trending downward since 1979, when it reached a high of 51%. Newspapers rank near the bottom on a list of 16 societal institutions Gallup measured in a June 1-4 survey. Television news is tied with newspapers on the list, with 23% of Americans also expressing confidence in it. That is up slightly from the all-time low of 21% found last year....

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE SOARS IN MAY TO HIGHEST READING SINCE 2007 Matthew Boesler May 31, 2013, 9:55 AM Brady Hoke UPDATE: The consumer confidence report is out. The headline index rose to 84.5 in May from 76.4 in April. Economists expected the number to come in at 83.7, matching the preliminary estimate published by the University of Michigan earlier this month. The economic conditions sub-index rose to 98.0 from 89.9 in April, exceeding the preliminary May estimate of 97.5. The economic outlook sub-index rose to 75.8 from 67.8 in April, beating the preliminary estimate of 74.8. Inflation expectations one year ahead...

A while back I received several e-mails from guys requesting my advice on how to attract a female like me. You see, they seem to have a hard time attracting women that are into shooting and the outdoors… and I understand this. Being that we humans aren’t whitetail deer and you can’t rub your scent on a tree to find yourself a mate, it makes things harder for guys. I’ve decided to throw these guys a bone, and any others who need help, on how to attract such a lady. Here are essential points to follow in attracting the Katniss...

BRUSSELS – Confidence in the euro zone's economy fell for a second straight month in April and by more than expected, data showed on Monday, strengthening the case for a cut in interest rates this week. Economic morale in the 17 countries using the euro slipped 1.5 percent points to 88.6, the European Commission said. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a decline to 89.3. The disappointing data highlights the euro zone's difficult road out of recession and the souring of the mood among companies and consumers since March, after an optimistic start to the year. Likely of most concern,...

The Gallup U.S. Economic Confidence Index was -14 last week, compared with -17 the prior week. The current score is six points below the five-year high of -8 reached in early February. The Economic Confidence Index reached -12 -- the highest score since the five-year high -- in the last week of March, likely as a reaction to record-high stock prices, a boost in housing prices, and lower gas prices. This score was up from -22 at the end of February and beginning of March as Congress and the president failed to reach an agreement to avoid the sequestration spending...

Saturday's Poll Do you have confidence in the economic recovery? Yes No

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, sales of new single-family houses in February 2013 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 411,000. This is 4.6 percent below the revised January rate of 431,000, but is 12.3 percent above the February 2012 estimate of 366,000. Hmm. Not what some were hoping. But Lorraine Wollert at Bloomberg has a nice, positive take on the news: March 26 (Bloomberg) — Sales of new U.S. houses in February capped the best back-to-back months in more than four years, spurred by near record-low borrowing costs and improving job prospects. Yes, housing affordability (relatively speaking)...

The housing market news has been positive this week. Today, existing home sales added to the positive housing news by posting a modest gain in February of 0.81%. So, we are ALMOST back to 1999 levels of existing home sales. But looking more closely at the data, single family detached existing home sales fell -0.229% in February. Sales of existing condos and co-ops rose by a whopping 8.772%. The months supply of existing homes rose 9.3% in February while the median price rose 1.8%. On the consumer comfort front, the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index fell to -33.9 from -31.6. Consumer...

The Bloomberg Consumer Confidence Index was released this morning and it shows slight improvement to -36.3. Consumer confidence has not been above -30 since 2008. A still sluggish housing market (despite record low mortgage rates) is partly to blame. The worst recovery since WWII is also to blame. But what is really noticeable in the chart is that Consumer Confidence fell below 0 in the latter half of 2001 and only breached 0 on the upside for a brief time in Q1 2007. Apparently, the government’s efforts to push home ownership did not placate nervous investors after the recession of...

The was a large print of economic news this morning. The most important prints for the housing and commercial real estate markets are personal income (which rose) and Consumer Comfort (which fell again). Personal surged in December by 2.6% versus the expectation of 0.8% by economists. quarter of 2008, a report showed yesterday. Some companies paid dividends and employee bonuses earlier than usual before tax rates went up this year. The Commerce Department estimated about $26.4 billion of the increase in incomes last quarter was attributable to early dividend payments and another $15 billion reflected bonuses and other types of...

Jobless claims rise, consumer confidence down. Worst economic recovery since 1882. See chartsat link!

The US economy continues to wander through the recessionary woods, with some rays of light peeking through the dark clouds. In other words, there is still a long way to go. New home sales in November printed at 377,000 units, less than the expected 380,000 but higher than October’s print of 368,000. New home sales have struggled to return to June 1982 levels. The Conference Board’s measure of consumer confidence fell to 65.10. Note that consumer confidence remains far below the average of 94.18 from 1967-today. Of course, the Christmas retail season has seen an increase in employment and a...

he Good: Job openings in construction rose to +48 after several months of little progress. The Bad: The Small Business Optimism Index fell to its lowest point since March 2010. The Ugly: The Investors Business Daily (IBD) and TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence (TIPP) economic optimism index fell to 45.1 in December, down 3.5 points from a month earlier. A reading over 50 indicates a positive outlook while a reading below 50 signals a negative outlook. On the ugly side, the USA trade balance with the Pacific Rim (China, Japan, etc) fell as well. On the mortgage/MBS side, Ginnie Mae 15 year...

Americans' outlook on the economy and their finances took a turn for the worse in early December due likely to anxiety about the potential for higher taxes resulting from contentious discussions in Washington over fiscal issues, a survey released on Friday showed. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's preliminary reading of the overall index on consumer sentiment plunged to 74.5 in early December, the lowest level since August. It was far below November's figure of 82.7 and the median forecast of 82.4 among economists polled by Reuters.

Are you confident the economy is improving? Yes No

Consumer confidence rose to a four-and-a-half-year high in November as consumers became more optimistic about the outlook for the economy, according to a private sector report released on Tuesday. The Conference Board, an industry group, said its index of consumer attitudes rose to 73.7 up from an upwardly revised 73.1 the month before, its highest since February 2008. Economists had expected a reading of 73.0, according to a Reuters poll. Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/2012/11/27/consumer-confidence-hits-highest-level-since-february-08/#ixzz2DRcxDlqn

The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index declined by 5.4 points, or 10%, in November, posting 48.6 vs. 54 in October. The index is 0.4 points above its 12-month average of 48.2, 4.2 points above its reading of 44.4 in December 2007 when the economy entered into the recession, and 1.3 points below its all-time average of 49.9. Note: Index readings above 50 indicate optimism; below 50 indicate pessimism. The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index has a good track record of foreshadowing the confidence indicators put out later each month by the University of Michigan and The Conference Board. IBD/TIPP conducted the national...

U.S. consumer sentiment rose to its highest level in more than five years in November as consumers felt more optimistic about employment prospects and the outlook for the overall economy, a survey released on Friday showed. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment came in at 84.9, up from 82.6 the month before. It was above the median forecast of 83 among economists polled by Reuters. "More consumers expected good rather than bad times financially in the economy in early November, not only for the year ahead but over the next five years...

As a long-time Ohio State Buckeye football fan, I have never been a fan of University of Michigan. And the recent University of Michigan Consumer Confidence index seems to be measuring optimism about Michigan Wolverine football than the economy. Seriously, as real GDP growth hovers barely above 1% and the crash in durable goods orders, this is a surprise. According to University of Michigan, consumer confidence has risen to Bush-era levels of September 2007. Just to put it into context, I put a yellow line through the 100 level. We still have a long way to go to get to...

Jobless claims were little changed at 374,000 in the week ended Aug. 25, matching the upwardly revised figure from the prior week, the Labor Department reported today in Washington. The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, climbed to a six-week high. In fact, jobless claims are at December 2011 levels, indicating fear of new taxes from Obamacare and the dreaded fiscal cliff. Continuing jobless claims are stuck at March 2012 levels, not a good sign this far after the end of the recession. On the other hand, Consumer spending in the U.S. climbed in July for the first time...

The Case-Shiller house price indices were released this morning. The 20-City Composite posted an annual returns\ of +0.5% in June 2012. Month-over-month, average home prices in the 20-City Composite were up 2.3% versus May. You can see the Case-Shiller 20 Composite (green) compared to recent prints by FNC (blue) and FHFA Purchase (gold). For the second consecutive month, all 20 cities and both Composites recorded positive monthly gains. Eighteen of the 20 MSAs and both Composites posted better annual returns in June as compared to May 2012 – only Charlotte and Dallas saw a deceleration in their annual rates. As...

Consumer confidence missed big in August falling to 60.6. The reading is the lowest since November 2011. Meanwhile, July's reading was revised down to 65.4. "Consumers were more apprehensive about business and employment prospects, but more optimistic about their financial prospects despite rising inflation expectations," according to Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. "Consumers' assessment of current conditions was virtually unchanged, suggesting no significant pickup or deterioration in the pace of growth." But the number is still above 60, showing the report wasn't a complete disaster. Here are some highlights from the report: The percent saying...

The question for the economic fight in the presidential election may not be whether voters buy Mitt Romney's tax plan or Barack Obama's class warfare. It may be whether they're buying anything at all. After six straight months of improvements in consumer confidence, Gallup's latest survey shows a drop for the second month in a row --- and well below a healthy indicator for economic expansion (via Instapundit): Gallup's Economic Confidence Index averaged -26 in July, a decline from -22 in June, and close to the 2012 low of -27 measured in January. Economic confidence improved during the first five...

Americans' confidence in television news is at a new low by one percentage point, with 21% of adults expressing a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in it. This marks a decline from 27% last year and from 46% when Gallup started tracking confidence in television news in 1993.

Yesterday, Barack Obama responded to criticism of his plan to hike taxes on those earning as little as $250,000 a year --- a class which includes a large number of small-business owners --- by claiming that those entrepreneurs have no greater friend than the current President. He pointed to a number of tax breaks and credits he championed for small businesses, and dismissed the effects of hiking their taxes now: Now, we can already anticipate — we know what those who are opposed to letting the high-end tax cuts expire will say. They’ll say that we can’t tax “job creators.”...

Sunday, June 24, 2012 The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures consumer confidence on a daily basis, dropped two more points on Sunday to 80.2. The Consumer Index is down five points from a week ago, down ten points from a month ago, and down 11 points from three months ago. The Consumer Index has dropped over 15 points since May 20th when it was at 95.4.

Sunday, June 24, 2012 The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures consumer confidence on a daily basis, dropped two more points on Sunday to 80.2. The Consumer Index is down five points from a week ago, down ten points from a month ago, and down 11 points from three months ago. The Consumer Index has dropped over 15 points since May 20th when it was at 95.4.

My Dear Extended Family, We all know bank’s balance sheets are cartoons due to FASB’s capitulation on the fair market value issue, that the euro financial leaders do not deserve the title leader, and that the Fed is the source of liquidity for Euroland in unlimited cheap dollar swaps, but there is more. That more is the first failure of a major clearing house. Clearing is the mechanism of all markets. It is the guts of the system. It is the engine under the hood of finance. It is the pulleys that turn inside the watch. It is basic to...

Oct. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Consumer confidence unexpectedly slumped in October to the lowest level since March 2009, when the U.S. economy was in a recession, as Americans' outlooks for employment and incomes soured. The Conference Board's sentiment index decreased to 39.8 from a revised 46.4 reading in September, figures from the New York-based private research group showed today. This month's reading was less than the most pessimistic forecast in a Bloomberg News survey in which the median projection was 46. Limited job availability, deteriorating home values and the threat of a European debt default are weighing on sentiment. A drop...

The nonprofit organization said its consumer-confidence index declined to 39.8 in October from a September level of 46.4, which was upwardly revised from a prior estimate of 45.4. Economists polled by MarketWatch expected a reading of 46 for October; when the economy is growing at a good clip, confidence readings are at 90 and above... ...The Conference Board’s expectations barometer fell to 48.7 in October from 55.1 in September. The percentage of those who expected business conditions to be “better” in six months declined, while most expected the same conditions...

...LYNN SHERR: Do you feel as if the other candidates have been ganging up on in the debates? RICK PERRY:“When you come into the fray and you’re leading in the polls, you’re going to get attacked by everyone. I get it. I’m a big boy, and I know how to play that game. “ Your critics say you’re not electable... “Well, I disregard that. Americans are looking for somebody to stand up and tell them the truth, and I have a record to back it up. Ultimately, if I can explain my heart, my jobs record, and my philosophy to...

The Hot New Theory About What Happened To The US Economy Joe Weisenthal Oct. 8, 2011, 6:27 AM Something weird is happening with the economic data in September: It's okay! Datapoint after datapoint screams: The economy is mediocre, but it's not collapsing. For example... * The September jobs report was a lot better than the August jobs report. * Rail traffic is growing. * Car sales were downright HOT in September. * Retail sales? Check. * Construction spending was fine too. There was certainly some weak data, as things are not amazing, but the numbers haven't been heart-stopping the way...

As expectations slightly gained, consumer confidence ticked higher in September while remaining at low levels, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. The nonprofit organization said its consumer-confidence index rose to 45.4 in September from 45.2 in August, when it had plunged on worries about jobs and the U.S. debt, among other factors... Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected a September reading of 46.1...The August confidence reading was upwardly revised from a prior estimate of 44.5.

President Barack Obama is getting hammered on all sides for a stumbling U.S. economy and his uneven response to it, raising pressure on him to take steps to create jobs or risk being ousted in next year's election. With markets in turmoil and the jobless rate stuck above 9 percent, Obama is struggling to instill a sense of confidence that there is a way out of the maelstrom. He received negative reviews from pundits for a speech on Monday that offered no new policy ideas and failed to cushion a steep sell-off on Wall Street. The president also is getting...

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Consumer confidence fell in June to the worst level in eight months on concerns about employment and income, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. The nonprofit organization said its consumer-confidence index fell to 58.5 in June from an upwardly revised 61.7 in May. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected a June reading of 60.5. “Overall, we take this as another sign of the cooler economic conditions that we judge likely to prove transitory, but the data does point to downside risks for a rebound in the labor market in June,” wrote David Resler, chief economist at Nomura Securities...

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Consumer confidence recovered somewhat in April, though the impact of a spike in gasoline prices is still evident, according to data released Tuesday by the Conference Board. The confidence index hit 65.4 in April, compared with an upwardly revised 63.8 in March. That’s still below the 72.0 reading of February, as gasoline prices nationally have approached $4 per gallon. The increase came as consumers’ 12-month inflation expectations declined to 6.3% in April from 6.7% in March. In addition, consumer views about the present situation improved.

~ EXCERPT ~ Voter confidence that the nation’s best days are still to come has fallen to its lowest level ever. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that just 31% believe America’s best days are in the future. That’s down three points from last month and is the lowest result found in polling since late 2006. Fifty-three percent (53%) believe America’s best days are in the past, also the highest measurement in over four years. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided. Separate polling finds that only 22% of Likely Voters believe the United States is now...

A teacher stands in front of her classroom of students. She begins to review some of the previous day’s homework that she assigned her students to study and complete. She asks: “Can someone give me the answer for question #1?” She then adds with a smile: “Remember to raise your hands if you have the answer.” The response is mixed. Some of her students almost literally jump out of their seats as their hands shoot skyward. With great enthusiasm they chime in: “I know it, I know it! Pick me, teacher! Pick me!” These students had obviously “done their homework”...

n March 15, ABC News, in cooperation with the Washington Post, released the results of a new survey done by Langer Research Associates. One of the questions asked about the level of confidence that US citizens have in our system of government today.

Recent poll data suggest that Americans have woken up to the fact that Barack Obama is an empty suit, and the Democrats have nothing to offer in terms of policy solutions. First, President Obama. Today's Rasmussen Reports finds that among likely voters, President Obama has matched his lowest standing ever. He now ranks at -22 on the Approval Index, defined as the difference between those who strongly approve and strongly disapprove of his performance: [Graph] Rasmussen also finds that the voters' preference for Republicans over Democrats is growing, as the current generic Congressional preference survey has Republicans ahead by 46-37....

The share of Americans planning to buy an auto in the next six months rose to 13.2% this month, easily the highest reading since the Conference Board began tracking this measure in 1978. Auto sales for GM(GM), Ford (F) and others have been hot in recent months. Auto loan credit approvals for first-time buyers have risen for the first time since the start of the recession, climbing 4.5% since October, LeaseTrader.com said.

Charles Darwin observed “ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.” That was certainly true in 1995 when a man named McArthur Wheeler boldly robbed two banks in Pittsburgh without using a disguise. Security camera footage of him was broadcast on the evening news the same day as the robberies, and he was arrested an hour later. Mr. Wheeler was surprised when the police explained how they had used the surveillance tapes to catch him. “But I wore the juice,” he mumbled incredulously. He seemed to believe that rubbing his face with lemon juice would blur his image and make...

Confidence In The U.S. Will Collapse And Change Will Come With Alarming Speed John Browne, EuroPac Nov. 5, 2010, 4:41 PM This week, desperation became palpable at the Fed. In both the formulaic statement that accompanied its FOMC policy decision and Chairman Ben Bernanke's unusual (and clumsy) Washington Post op-ed follow up, the guardians of our currency expressed grave disappointment at the slow pace of US economic recovery and emphasized the continued threat of deflation. The Fed is now pledging to defeat this recession using any monetary means necessary. Unfortunately, their embrace threatens to smother our economy. Despite its paternalistic...

Confidence in government economic policies has fallen to the lowest level since the closing months of the Bush presidency, with just 11% of consumers holding favorable evaluations of Obama’s policies. Although mid-term elections primarily respond to local rather than national issues, residents of nearly all local areas expressed economic discontent. It would not be surprising for confidence to rebound after the election; it would be surprising if those gains proved to be more than temporary. If the lame duck Congress does not immediately pass an extension of the Bush tax cuts, not even deep discounts will secure modest gains in...

Gallup is the oldest major polling organization in America.  It has a strong interest in credibility with the public, because if its polls are wrong then its value drops to nothing.  Gallup Polls, by and large, are fairly accurate reflections of what is actually polled.  So when Gallup asks Americans in different states about their ideology, the reported data seems reasonable.  The problem, however, is that unless one looks at the data and not at how Gallup entitles its polls, big stories are lost.  As one example, Gallup in the last year or so has finally begun asking Americans about...

Consumer Confidence Plunges In September Gregory White Sep. 28, 2010, 10:01 AM Consumer confidence fell to 48.5 in September, a big drop over August's 53.5. August's numbers were a surprising improvement, rising over July's 51. Markets are sliding on the data: Dow down 0.64% NASDAQ down 1.16% S&P 500 down 0.86% Click here for 20 signs the American consumer is completely tapped out >[snip]

OMAHA, Neb. — Despite positive economic signs in nine Midwest and Plains states, fewer of the supply managers surveyed for the July Business Conditions Index are confident about the regional recovery. In the Mid-America report released today, the July confidence index dropped to 54.8, its lowest level since February 2009. The overall index dipped to 60.8 from 62.5 in June and 64.2 in May. The report uses a collection of indexes that range from zero to 100, and any score above 50 suggests economic growth in the next three to six months. The report is overseen by Creighton University economist...

Uncertainty about the economy continued to shake consumer confidence in July, pushing a key measure of morale to the lowest level since February. The Conference Board, a New York-based research group, said Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index dropped for a second straight month, to 50.4 in July from June's upwardly revised level of 54.3. July's reading was lower than expected. Economists had forecast the index to have ticked down to 51 in July from 52.9 in June, according to a consensus estimate from Briefing.com. "Consumer confidence faded further in July as consumers continue to grow increasingly more pessimistic about...

Consumer gloom in July reached its highest level since the recession was near the bottom amid fears that the expansion remains too weak to create many jobs, according to the IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index out Tuesday. Meanwhile, a gauge of small-business confidence retreated in June to a level typical of a "weak or recession-mired economy" as the sales outlook deteriorated sharply, the National Federation of Independent Business said Tuesday.

Ask any housing expert worth their salt why home prices are falling again and you’ll likely hear a litany of reasons, all of which sound completely plausible: tax credit expiration, weak job market, high inventory levels, shadow supply, strategic defaults, negative equity, and a tight lending environment. This sort of analysis isn’t wrong, per se, but all too often discussions about home prices and the real estate market ignore the most fundamental of all economic indicators: confidence. Shifts in confidence are closely tied to movements in the stock market. And, as I've written previously, the stock market is the most...