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The Reuters/U. of Michigan Consumer Sentiment November report just hit the wire and the results are not looking good. Sentiment fell during early November to the weakest level in three months due to a weak economy and lagging job market. The index of consumer expectations fell to 63.7 in early November from 68.6 in October. Reuters: "Confidence tumbled in early November due to the grim financial realities faced by consumers as well as weaker economic prospects for the year ahead -- importantly, the decline in confidence was already in place before the announced increase in the unemployment rate to 10.2...

U.S. consumers turned decidedly more pessimistic in October, according to a report released Tuesday, with households increasingly worried about job prospects. The Conference Board, a private research group, said its monthly Consumer Confidence Index fell to 47.7 this month, from a revised 53.4 in September, which was originally reported as 53.1. The current month's reading was well below economists' projections of 53.2, according to a survey conducted by Dow Jones Newswires. The downturn in consumer confidence at this stage of the recovery is to be expected, as it has occurred in previous recoveries (please see chart below), and does not...

Consumer Confidence? Ha!Tuesday, October 27. 2009 Posted by Karl Denninger Gee, this is a green shoot.... NEW YORK, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had declined in September, deteriorated further in October. The Index now stands at 47.7 (1985=100), down from 53.4 in September. The Present Situation Index decreased to 20.7 from 23.0 last month. The Expectations Index declined to 65.7 from 73.7 in September. The kicker.... In fact, the Present Situation Index is now at its lowest reading in 26 years (Index 17.5, Feb. 1983). The short-term outlook has also grown more negative, as...

Stocks aren't the only things falling--America's confidence in Wall Street and banks is plummeting too. Last year this time, the markets nosedived after the Lehman bankruptcy on Sept.14, 2008. One year later, how has public opinion fared? How do Americans feel about the institutions that have dominated the headlines in our cascading financial crisis? Fortunately for students of public opinion, several survey organizations have been asking identical questions about our confidence in the financial world for decades. In 1977, Harris asked about people "in charge of running Wall Street," and 19% of those polled expressed a great deal of confidence....

Fifty-five percent see the nation heading on the wrong track, up from 48% in April. Opposition against a public healthcare option is also up. Reporting from Washington - Public confidence in President Obama's leadership has declined sharply over the summer, amid intensifying opposition to a healthcare overhaul that threatens to undercut his attempt to change the system, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. * * * Among all Americans surveyed, 49% express confidence that Obama will make the right decisions for the country, down from 60% at the 100-day mark in his presidency. Forty-nine percent say they think...

Stock futures signal sharp drop after Asia selloff On Monday August 17, 2009, 4:28 am EDT PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - Stock index futures extended their losses early on Monday, mirroring a selloff in Asian and European stocks on mounting worries the equities' recent surge had run ahead of the global economic recovery. At 4:18 a.m. EDT, futures for the S&P 500 were down 1.92 percent, Dow Jones futures were down 2.11 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures were down 2.11 percent. Chinese stocks (^SSEC - News) sank 5.8 percent to their lowest close in two months on Monday on worries about added...

Consumer confidence took its second consecutive monthly drop in July, the Conference Board reported Tuesday, underscoring still-gloomy sentiment about the U.S. economy. The index dropped to 46.6 in July from an unrevised 49.3 in June. In May, the confidence gauge stood at 54.8. The confidence measure was worse than expected. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch were expecting confidence to dip to 48.0 in July from the June reading. See Economic Calendar. The weaker-than-expected July number helped to sap stocks after the opening on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU 9,320, +33.63, +0.36%) was recently off by 37 points. The June...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Americans' confidence in the economy eroded further in July as worries about job security offset any enthusiasm about the resumed stock market rally that has helped bolster retirement accounts. The souring outlook presents yet another obstacle for stores' critical back-to-school season. The New York-based Conference Board said Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index, which retreated last month, fell to 46.6, down from 49.3 in June. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters were expecting a reading of 49. It would take a reading above 90 to signal that the economy is on solid footing.

It seems as if the "hope" part of "hope and change" is not working. It could be because the change part is not change for the better. As the economy continues to fall into the abyss, it is clear whether the numbers were "misread" or the policy was just wrong, that the President's economic policy is a failure. Even in congress there is realization that the stimulus didn't work. Many in congress are calling for a new stimulus bill to get the economy going even though only about 10% of the original stimulus has been spent. Others are calling for...

How confident are you in President Obama's summer jobs plan? Very confident Somewhat confident Not confident at all

Where is the Juice?Lois Tverberg, August, 2001 Jer. 17:5 Lord, "Cursed (Arur) is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush (arar) in the desert, and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. Jer 17:7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream. It...

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stocks surged, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up more than 150 points, after a jump in consumer confidence offset a weak report on housing prices. In a morning report, the Conference Board said its index of consumer confidence for May jumped to 54.9 from 40.8 in April, which was originally reported as 39.2. The index is now at its highest since September, the board said. Expectations for economic activity over the next six months jumped to 72.3 from 51.0 in the prior month. In a holiday-shortened but economic data-heavy week, investors were hoping the consumer...

President Barack Obama on Monday ordered his Cabinet to find ways to slice spending by $100 million, but acknowledged it's a "drop in the bucket" and said there's a "confidence gap" that he needs to overcome. Just back from a Latin America summit, Obama told the first formal Cabinet meeting of his administration that vast spending to combat the economic crisis was "the right thing to do." But he also said taxpayers still need to know that every dollar they give the government is being spent wisely. "We also have a deficit _ a confidence gap _ when it comes...

President Seeks to Reassures Jittery Markets, Investors After China Premier's RemarksInvestors should have "absolute confidence" in money placed with the United States, President Barack Obama said during an appearance with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the White House today. Obama and Lula da Silva held a private meeting for more than an hour before taking questions from reporters. Obama was asked about Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's expression of concern Friday that the Chinese investment of approximately $1 trillion in U.S. Treasury bills could be losing value. "I think that not just the Chinese government, but...

On Wednesday, the Rasmussen Investor Index declined another half-a-point to 54.1. That’s down eight points from a week ago and 13 points from a month ago. It’s also the third straight day that investor confidence has fallen to the lowest levels ever recorded in the seven-year history of the Investor Index. The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures consumer confidence on a daily basis, held steady on Wednesday at 56.4. That’s down two points from a week ago and five points from a month ago. The Consumer Index fell to a record low on Monday and is now a point above...

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index™, which had decreased moderately in January, declined in February, reaching yet another all-time low. The Index now stands at 25.0 (1985=100), down from 37.4 in January. The Present Situation Index declined to 21.2 from 29.7 last month. The Expectations Index decreased to 27.5 from 42.5 in January. The Consumer Confidence Survey™ is based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households. The monthly survey is conducted for The Conference Board by TNS. TNS is the world's largest custom research company. The cutoff date for February's preliminary results was February 18th. Says Lynn Franco, Director...

Senator Chris Dodd says we (meaning socialist liberals) may have to nationalize banks. And then the bottom of the market falls out under the banks on fears that the banks will be nationalized. Sean Hannity the other night ran a montage of Barack Obama describing the US economy as being in a "crisis" at least 25 different times during a single speech. I don't know about you, but that sure makes me want to go run out and invest my fortune in the stock market. Economists might call it the "Cloward-Piven Strategy" ; I call it the "Hitler-Reichstag Fire Strategy."...

We can add another 131 points from today's market plunge (as of Noon Eastern time) to the 800 points and 9.7% of the market lost since Messiah Obama announced his "salvation" plan. The day after Obama was elected, the market demonstrated its lack of confidence in his leadership by taking the biggest plunge any new president ever received: NEW YORK, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Wall Street hardly delivered a rousing welcome to President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday, dropping by the largest margin on record for a day following a U.S. presidential contest.It was a harbinger of things to come. And...

This is exactly what I've been talking about. First, from Reuters this morning on European indices: ""We're near the cliff's edge, very close to capitulation, the mood is very gloomy," said Jean-Claude Petit, head of equities at Barclays Wealth Managers France. "I not sure that governments and central banks are realising what's really going on," he said. What's "really going on" is that our entire financial system has turned into a gigantic clown car. There hasn't been any recognition that the fundamental problem over the last two decades has been fraudulent lending - giving money to people on loan that...

The White House said Tuesday afternoon that President Obama has "confidence in the process" of vetting senior administration and Cabinet officials despite the withdrawal of two high-profile nominees earlier in the day. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs came under fire during his daily briefing for declining to answer questions about whether there was a breakdown in the vetting process after Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer, nominated to be Obama's first chief performance officer, withdrew amid troubles over taxes. In response to questions about the two nominees' vetting, Gibbs would only say: "The president...

NEW YORK – Stocks slumped for a second straight day Friday as investors, already on edge about the worsening economy, were further rattled by a report that Washington's plans to help banks may have hit a snag. The Dow Jones industrials dropped 4.5 percent over two sessions; broader stock indexes are down more than 5 percent since Wednesday. Uncertainty about when the economy will improve has investors looking to Washington for answers. With the market particularly worried about the prospects of a big bank failure, investors have been hopeful that the government will soon release details of a wide-reaching plan...

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...

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas, Jan. 2, 2009 – For the past 15 months, Leo Knight-Inglesby has pushed himself beyond the limits he and his loved ones ever thought possible. Leo Knight-Inglesby, left, reviews his Air Force enlistment contract with his recruiter, Air Force Staff Sgt. Ty Lopez, in the Rockville, Md., recruiting office. The 22-year-old lost more than 160 pounds to join the Air Force. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ty Lopez   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The 22-year-old Silver Spring, Md., native shed more than 160 pounds to meet the physical standard of...

Not exactly a shocker given that Obama first accused the troops of indiscriminate bombing of villages and then voted to cut off funding to them in the middle of a war. Harry Reid told the troops they lost the war; Jack Murtha slanderously accused them of cold-blooded murder; and John Kerry accused them of going into homes of Iraqis in the dead of night and terrorizing women and children. For the Democrats, you reap what you sow. From The Chicago Sun-Times. When asked how they feel about President-elect Barack Obama as commander in chief, six out of 10 active-duty service...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Most Americans say the country's financial crisis has hurt their confidence in the Federal Reserve, according to a Reuters/University of Michigan survey released on Friday. The poll found sentiment toward banks and other financial institutions, like insurance firms and mutual funds, has also deteriorated. At the same time, the economic downturn has dented trust in the nation's financial authorities. Twenty-six percent of Americans said they were "a lot less" confident in the Fed, which is the U.S. central bank, now than five years ago. That was up from 7 percent back in 1987, before Greenspan began...

Banking’s crisis of confidence deepens By Krishna Guha, Harvey Morris and James Politi in Washington and Paul J Davies in London Published: September 30 2008 20:10 | Last updated: October 1 2008 02:54 Wall Street rebounded on Tuesday in spite of a worsening crisis of confidence in the global banking system, as leaders of the US Congress moved to try to salvage the Bush administration’s $700bn (£385bn) bail-out plan. A proposal to increase the ceiling for government insurance on bank deposits to $250,000 emerged as the best hope of swaying reluctant Republicans and Democrats who voted against the bill on...

Although the fate of tonight's presidential debate in Mississippi remains very much up in the air, John McCain has apparently already won it -- if you believe an Internet ad an astute reader spotted next to this piece in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal this morning. "McCain Wins Debate!" declares the ad which features a headshot of a smiling McCain with an American flag background. Another ad spotted by our eagle-eyed observer featured a quote from McCain campaign manager Rick Davis declaring: "McCain won the debate-- hands down."....

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer confidence soared unexpectedly to an eight-month high in September as lower fuel prices soothed inflation fears and made Americans more hopeful about the economy, a survey showed on Friday. The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said its preliminary index of confidence jumped to 73.1 in September, the highest since January, from 63.0 in August, for the biggest monthly jump since January 2004. September's reading was well above economists' median expectation of 64.0, according to a Reuters poll. The sunnier mood can be traced mostly to lower prices at the gas pump and consumers' one-year...

About a year ago in my first visit to Second Life, the popular online virtual world, I spent half an hour trying to make my avatar, or online character, look like a hotter version of myself — which isn't easy when you don't know how to use the tools. When I finally made it onto Money Island to mingle, a stranger approached me and said, "Hello there, Devon." I froze. Then I tried to run. I was desperately searching for the teleport tool when my sister walked into the room, peered over my shoulder at the computer screen and said,...

WASHINGTON – President Bush wants to bolster the multinational fight in Afghanistan by reminding NATO allies that the war is in their interest – and by persuading them to send more troops into battle. But this will be a challenge for Bush, who was en route to Ukraine Monday at the start of a trip that will also lead to Romania, Croatia and Russia. The NATO alliance is strained currently and is engaged in soul-searching about its place and mission in a rapidly changing world. Beyond Afghanistan, Bush is trying to score a breakthrough on a U.S.-based missile defense system...

Bear bailout sparks concern about other brokers Crisis of confidence hits ahead of results from Goldman, Morgan, Lehman By Alistair Barr, MarketWatch Last update: 6:57 p.m. EDT March 14, 2008 SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - The emergency bailout of Bear Stearns Cos. dented confidence in other securities firms ahead of results next week from some of Wall Street's giants including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers, analysts said on Friday. Bear (BSC) was forced to borrow money for 28 days from the Federal Reserve, with help from J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM) , after clients and counterparties deserted the 85-year-old firm....

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2007 – Progress in eastern Afghanistan continues as more Afghan security forces take the lead in security operations, more reconstruction and development projects provide sorely needed quality-of-life improvements, and the national government extends its reach, a senior military officer in the region said today. Army Brig. Gen. Rodney Anderson, deputy commander for support for Combined Joint Task Force 82 and Regional Command East, said he’s seen “many encouraging signs” since the 82nd Airborne Division’s arrival in February. “This will take some time, but in pursuit of the (United Nations’) Millennium Development Goals and supporting the Afghan National...

<p>U.S. consumer confidence fell for a third month in a row in October, weighed down by a further weakening in business conditions, according to a report released Tuesday.</p> <p>Meanwhile, home prices fell nationwide in August for the eighth consecutive month, offering little hope of a turnaround anytime soon, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller index released Tuesday.</p>

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2007 – After speaking with commanders of U.S. provincial reconstruction teams and brigade combat teams via videoconference from Iraq today, President Bush expressed confidence about the chances for success in that country. In remarks after the videoconference, Bush said that Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, told him that for the week of Sept. 8-15, attack levels across Iraq were the lowest they have been since January 2006. “And when you couple that with grassroots efforts that our … provincial reconstruction teams are making, you begin to get a sense of...

TAL ‘AFAR — A major thoroughfare leading into Tal ‘Afar received extensive damage in March when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated along the route. But with help from Coalition forces and the local Iraqi government, the road has been reopened and completely repaved. After the construction was complete, local Iraqi contractors, the city mayor, local leaders and government officials opened the road during an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Named after the recently deceased director of municipalities, Mohammed Mostafa Salah, 1st Lt. Brendan Fry, special projects officer, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment said the road is significant because it links both...

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa continued to be dogged by questions Monday over his relationship with a Telemundo reporter as he voiced confidence in her ethical standards. During a news conference at which he unveiled the third area of the city to be served by the TIGER teams to improve traffic, the mayor again was asked about Mirthala Salinas, their relationship and whether Telemundo would be taking any permanent action against her. Salinas has been on leave since her relationship with the mayor was disclosed. Telemundo officials said they were investigating all the circumstances around the relationship and whether she...

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2007 – Iraq’s military forces are committed to standing on their own, the officer in charge of their training told bloggers June 28, and he expressed confidence that Iraq’s army, navy, air force and police will succeed. “What we do see from the Iraqis is a commitment to continuing to improve and a desire and a passion to be more responsible for all things military,” Army Brig. Gen. Terry Wolff, commander of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team, said during a teleconference from Iraq. “They very much want to be able to do this themselves.” The Coalition...

LOS ANGELES (April 10, 2006) — Consumer confidence slipped for the third month in a row in April, with the IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index registering a pessimistic score of 45.5, an 18-month low. This is down 5.3 points, or 10.4%, from March's reading of 50.8 and 4.8 points below its 12-month average. Over 50 means optimism; below 50 indicates pessimism.

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2007 – The Iraqi people are starting to show more confidence in their security forces, and this is paying off with better security in Baghdad, coalition officials said today. The largest indicator is that sectarian killings have dropped 27 percent in March from February, Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, coalition spokesman, said during a Baghdad news conference. But although that and other indicators point in the same direction, Caldwell cautioned, security should not be measured in progress over days or weeks, but rather over months. With the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, in place, three of...

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2007 – Violence is down in Iraq and Iraqis “are starting to see this growth and gaining new confidence,” a coalition spokesman in Baghdad said today. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told reporters at a news conference that the decrease in violence has created an opportunity for new progress. Combined efforts between coalition forces and Iraqi fighting forces have brought down the level of violence in the Iraqi capital, Caldwell said. “Iraqi forces are getting better each day, and are demonstrating the commitment needed to defend the government and the people,” he added. He cited two...

WASHINGTON - The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee sought to weaken support for a resolution opposing President Bush's Iraq war strategy, saying Sunday that supporters are intellectually dishonest. Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), a 2008 presidential candidate, contended the bipartisan nonbinding resolution amounted to a demoralizing "vote of no confidence" in the U.S. military because it criticized Bush's plans to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq without offering concrete alternatives. "I don't think it's appropriate to say that you disapprove of a mission and you don't want to fund it and you don't want...

Consumer confidence shot up to its best level in seven months in September as gasoline prices fell sharply. That bodes well for retailers, analysts said. The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index rose 4.9 points, or 10.7%, to 50.5. That snapped a steady slide to 45.6 in August — the third lowest since the survey began in February 2001. Readings above 50 mean optimism. ...Gasoline prices fell 10.9 cents to $2.618 a gallon last week, far below the peak of $3.045 in the week ended Aug. 7, according to the Energy Information Administration. With crude futures extending losses Tuesday, economists expect further...

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. John G. McElwee Training Gives Marine Confidence to Lead By Pfc. David A. Weikle, 2nd Marine Division CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., July 11, 2006 -- Marines are taught early on in training the best leaders will show the way and lead from the front, and Lance Cpl. John G. McElwee, a squad leader with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, does. He shows his Marines how to get the job done, leading by example, charging into the action, ready to get his hands dirty along with them. “My training and experience give me the confidence I...

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 27, 2006) - The 2006 Gallup poll results on public confidence are in and the military is again at the top of the list. Seventy-three percent of Americans polled from June 1-4, 2006, said they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the military, according to Gallup poll writer Lydia Saad. After the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001, military confidence soared 13 percent above the previous year. In that 2002 poll, 79 percent of respondents said they had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the military. The...

On a recent Friday morning, a line of bathing-suit clad students stood beside a campus swimming pool, waiting to jump in. They had come to persuade the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill they were worthy of a college degree — which they were not, in UNC's eyes, until they could swim 50 yards and tread water for five minutes.For many, it was an annoying inconvenience, for others a moment of pride in conquering their fear of water. But the scene also was a small slice of collegiate history. This was the last swim test day at one of...

Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, and Iraqi troops with 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division conducted a dismounted patrol on the streets of Islah Zerla, recently. Their focus was to develop relations with Iraqis citizens, said Sgt. 1st Class David Dodson, platoon sergeant, 172nd Stryker Brigade. With the Iraqis patrolling along side them, it lets the people know their government and military care, and are taking steps toward freeing Iraq, he said. Since September, the Stryker Brigade has patrolled, searches in Islah Zerla, said Sgt. Justin Shaffer, a 172nd team leader. Their presence in the area gives them...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2006 – U.S. military medics and corpsmen are on the front lines with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the troops have confidence in their abilities and in the standard of care throughout the entire military medical system, a top U.S. general said here today. Every troop who goes into combat has tremendous respect for the medics who go forward with them, and these medics display the same courage and bravery as the rest of the troops, said Marine Gen. Robert Magnus, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, at the State of the Military Health System 2006...

<p>The Pentagon's testing office has less confidence today than it did a year ago in the nation's fledgling missile defense system.</p> <p>A new report from the office says testing of the rudimentary system in place in Alaska and California "suggests" — but doesn't demonstrate that it "may have some inherent defensive capability" to intercept North Korean missiles. Last year's report was less tentative, saying the system "should have some limited capability."</p>

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2006 – Military amputee patients are taking their desire to return to active duty to the mats. Jason Keaton, a civilian instructor with the Modern Army Combatives Program from Fort Knox, Ky., watches as Army Staff Sgt. Orlando Gill (top), patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, practices taking control of an opponent. In this case, the opponent is Army Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Greenlee, another program instructor. Photo by Samantha L. Quigley  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Members of the Modern Army Combatives Program from Fort Knox, Ky., have taken their program to Walter...

(AP) NEW YORK Consumer confidence surged in December as declining gasoline prices and improving job opportunities buoyed spirits, boding well for spending in the new year. The Conference Board said Wednesday that its Consumer Confidence Index advanced to 103.6 this month after recovering to 98.3 in November. That was better than the 103.0 reading analysts had expected for December. December's rise put the index at its highest level since Hurricane Katrina struck on Aug. 29, devastating Gulf Coast states and disrupting fuel and trade for much of the nation. Last August, before the storm, the index registered 105.5. Stocks moved...