NEW YORK, March 2 (Reuters) - ABC News reported on Tuesday
that while its weekly measure of U.S. consumer confidence
reversed course after hitting nearly a four-month low last
week, the gauge is still struggling to dig out of 2009 lows
after its worst year on record.
The ABC Consumer Comfort Index edged up to -49 for the week ended Feb. 28 from -50 in the prior week.
The -50 reading marked the first time in almost four months the index has dipped to that level, which has been reached only
25 times -
23 of those in the last 16 months.
The index first hit its all-time low of -54 in the week to Dec. 1, 2008, and then again in the week to Jan. 25, 2009.
The average reading of -48 in 2009 is the index's worst on record since the survey began, and it has not been on positive ground since March 2007.
------POSITIVE VIEWS ON-------
NATIONAL PERSONAL BUYING W/E CCI ECONOMY FINANCES CLIMATE
2/28
49 8 44 24
2/21
50 8 43 24
2/14
49 8 44 24
2/7
48 8 47 23
1/31
49 9 45 22
1/24
48 8 47 23
1/17
49 9 45 23
1/10
47 9 46 24
1/3
41 9 51 28
12/29
44 8 47 29
12/22
42 7 50 30
12/13
45 7 47 29
12/6
47 8 44 28
The ABC News consumer confidence survey was based on a sample of about 1,000 interviews conducted in the four weeks ending Feb. 28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
(U.S. Treasury desk; Tel: 646-223-6300) Keywords: USA ECONOMY/ABC
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The ABC Consumer Comfort Index edged up to -49 for the week ended Feb. 28 from -50 in the prior week.
The -50 reading marked the first time in almost four months the index has dipped to that level, which has been reached only
25 times -
23 of those in the last 16 months.
The index first hit its all-time low of -54 in the week to Dec. 1, 2008, and then again in the week to Jan. 25, 2009.
The average reading of -48 in 2009 is the index's worst on record since the survey began, and it has not been on positive ground since March 2007.
------POSITIVE VIEWS ON-------
NATIONAL PERSONAL BUYING W/E CCI ECONOMY FINANCES CLIMATE
2/28
49 8 44 24
2/21
50 8 43 24
2/14
49 8 44 24
2/7
48 8 47 23
1/31
49 9 45 22
1/24
48 8 47 23
1/17
49 9 45 23
1/10
47 9 46 24
1/3
41 9 51 28
12/29
44 8 47 29
12/22
42 7 50 30
12/13
45 7 47 29
12/6
47 8 44 28
The ABC News consumer confidence survey was based on a sample of about 1,000 interviews conducted in the four weeks ending Feb. 28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
(U.S. Treasury desk; Tel: 646-223-6300) Keywords: USA ECONOMY/ABC
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.