Two Points from its Low, Confidence Looks Like '92

The index hit a record low -51 on May 25, improved to -41 briefly in July and September, but each time fell back to within a point of that low.

This week's -49 compares with a long-term average of -11 and a best of +38 in January 2000. It's averaged -40 this year, second lowest only to 1992's average of -44.

GROUPS – The index is higher as usual in better-off groups but negative across the board for the 18th straight week. It's -9 among those with the highest incomes vs. -78 among those with the lowest, -43 among people who've been to college vs. -70 among high-school dropouts, -64 among blacks vs. -46 among whites, -67 among renters vs. -43 among homeowners and -44 for men vs. -53 for women. It's -62 among the unemployed, -36 for people with full-time jobs.

Sharp partisan differences remain: The index is -64 among Democrats, -54 among independents and -21 among Republicans.

Here's a closer look at the three components of the ABC News CCI:

NATIONAL ECONOMY – Eight percent of Americans rate the economy as excellent or good; it was the same last week. The highest was 80 percent on Jan. 16, 2000. The lowest was 7 percent in late 1991 and early 1992.

PERSONAL FINANCES – Forty-nine percent say their own finances are excellent or good; it was the same last week. The best was 70 percent, last reached in January 2000. The worst was 42 percent on March 14, 1993.

BUYING CLIMATE –Nineteen percent say it's an excellent or good time to buy things; it was 18 percent last week. The best was 57 percent on Jan. 16, 2000. The worst was 18 percent, Aug. 10 and 24, and last week.

METHODOLOGY:Interviews for the ABC News Consumer Comfort Index are reported in a four-week rolling average. This week's results are based on telephone interviews among a random national sample of 1,000 adults in the four weeks ending Oct. 26, 2008. The results have a 3-point error margin. Field work by ICR-International Communications Research of Media, Pa.

The index is derived by subtracting the negative response to each index question from the positive response to that question. The three resulting numbers are added and divided by three. The index can range from +100 (everyone positive on all three measures) to -100 (all negative on all three measures). The survey began in December 1985.

Click here for PDF with charts and data table.