Investor Confidence Falls Four Points to 60.0 [Rasmussen Consumer Index]

Rasmussen Reports ^ | January 27, 2009 | Rasmussen Reports / Scott Rasmussen

[CutePuppy]

Rasmussen Consumer Index

Investor Confidence Falls Four Points to 60.0

The Rasmussen Investor Index fell four points on Tuesday to 60.0. That's the lowest level of investor confidence in over a month and barely above the all-time low of 58.5 measured in mid-December. The Investor Index is down eight points over the past week, down six points over the past month and down forty-six points over the past year.

After falling for five straight days, the Rasmussen Consumer Index stabilized on Tuesday at 59.4. The Consumer Index, which measures the economic confidence of consumers on a daily basis, is down six points from its recent peak last Wednesday, down a point from a month ago and down thirty points from a year ago.

One week after President Barack Obama took office, Democrats have become a bit less pessimistic about the economy while Republicans and those not affiliated with either major party have become a bit more so. Nine percent (9%) of Democrats now say the economy is getting better along with 8% of Republicans and 11% of unaffiliateds.

Overall, just 6% of Americans rate the economy as good or excellent while 66% rate it as poor.

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Full month data for December shows confidence setting a record all-time low for the seventh time in the last ten months. The Discover U.S. Spending Monitor also fell to a record low in December. One-third (34 percent) of consumers plan to spend less in January. This compares to 22 percent in November and just 24 percent from a year ago.

The Rasmussen Consumer Index and Investor Index are derived from nightly telephone surveys of 500 adults and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The baseline for the Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. Readings above 100.0 indicate that confidence is higher than in the baseline month. Detailed supplemental information is available for Premium Members. Historical data for the Consumer and Investor indexes as well as attitudes about the economy and personal finances are also available to Premium Members.

The Rasmussen Consumer Index reached its highest level ever at 127.0 on January 6, 2004. The all-time low was reached on December 17, 2008 at 56.8.

The Rasmussen Investor Index reached its highest level ever at 150.9 on January 7, 2004. The lowest level ever measured was 58.5 on December 16, 2008.

The baseline for the Rasmussen Consumer Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. At 59.4, the overall levels of economic confidence are significantly lower today than they were in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.

The Rasmussen Reports ElectionEdge™ Premium Service for Election 2008 offers the most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a Presidential election.

Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.

Rasmussen Consumer Index: Daily Readings
27-Jan	TU	59.4
26-Jan	MO	58.9
25-Jan	SU	60.2
24-Jan	SA	61.5
23-Jan	FR	63.3
22-Jan	TH	63.7
21-Jan	WE	65.8
20-Jan	TU	63.9
19-Jan	MO	61.1
18-Jan	SU	59.6
17-Jan	SA	61.8
16-Jan	FR	61.3
15-Jan	TH	60.3
14-Jan	WE	57.9
13-Jan	TU	58.2
12-Jan	MO	57.6
11-Jan	SU	58.4
10-Jan	SA	58.8
9-Jan	FR	63.8
8-Jan	TH	64.8
7-Jan	WE	66.8
6-Jan	TU	66.8
5-Jan	MO	66.1
4-Jan	SU	63.9
3-Jan	SA	59.8
2-Jan	FR	No Polling-New Year's
1-Jan	TH	No Polling-New Year's

	Rasmussen Consumer Index: Full month recent history
Dec-08	59.6
Nov-08	64.5
Oct-08	69.0
Sep-08	78.3
Aug-08	79.7
Jul-08	72.8
Jun-08	71.9
May-08	73.5
Apr-08	74.8
Mar-08	76.9
Feb-08	86.1
Jan-08	89.5
Dec-07	96.6
Nov-07	96.8
Oct-07	105.2
Sep-07	107.5
Aug-07	106.8
Jul-07	111.5
Jun-07	107.9
May-07	108.9
Apr-07	113.4
Mar-07	112.8
Feb-07	119.8
Jan-07	118.8
Dec-06	116.0

	Consumer Index Highs and Lows
	High	Low
2008	99.5	56.8
2007	121.9	91.5
2006	124.0	99.3
2005	121.2	95.4
2004	127.0	104.6
2003	123.2	83.2
2002	124.3	95.5

	Investor Index Highs and Lows
	High	Low
2008	113.2	58.5
2007	150.0	107.6
2006	148.2	120.9
2005	145.0	111.8
2004	150.9	123.6
2003	150.3	91.1
2002	143.9	105.2

[CutePuppy]

The tables really tell the story. Precipitous drop in financial markets' conditions and consumer confidence in September 2008 and "the overall levels of economic confidence are significantly lower today than they were in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks."

[Cindy]

Off Topic.

“Are You Looking for a Job?”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2136635/posts

Regularly updated thread.

[TribalPrincess2U]

What’s º’s ratings today?

[yongin]

The Consumer confidence levels are why Obama is the coolest man on earth. Economically insecure people looking to Obama to save the world. If the consumer confidence levels continue to be this low after a year, then people may finally snap out of Obama-mania.

[yongin]

A couple days ago, Rasmussen had Obama’s favorable ratings at 60%.

[Cindy]

-Zero.

[bray]

The Obama Meltdown has No Hope of Changing.

Pray for America, Our Troops and obama’s Guidance

[TribalPrincess2U]

Or you could say his ratings are 15 % lower then a week ago.

Sounds better that way.

[topfile]

Someone needs to tell O'bummer that we've got the message already. O'bummer quotes like "Things are grim", "It'll get worse" and "may take many years to recovery" have done the trick. The whole world now knows that he is not on the hook for the economy.

We know he can't fix it.

I only wish he had told us sooner, like BEFORE the election.

[CutePuppy]

Yes. but it didn't help that his opponent, John McCain, professed that "the issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should", and then proceeded to prove it to anyone who might have mistaken that for a joke.

[SERKIT]

If the Feds hold preferred stock with a bank and get the dividends, why would anyone buy common stock for that same bank?

[BlueYonder]

When consumer confidence is at or near an extreme, it is generally regarded as a contrarian indicator. In other words, the worse things seem, the better they are.

Just more proof that Obama can, will and has already saved us. /sarc

[CutePuppy]

When consumer confidence is at or near an extreme, it is generally regarded as a contrarian indicator. In other words, the worse things seem, the better they are.

That was one of the reasons for posting this survey.

Agreed, extreme low is often the sign of the "bottom" or the "bottoming process". Or, as is sometimes said, "It's always darkest before the dawn". Then again - and not to put a damper on things - it's always darkest right before it goes completely black. :-)