Consumer Comfort in U.S. Falls to Lowest Level Since November

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

by Victoria Stilwell
June 4, 2015 — 9:45 AM EDT

Consumer confidence in the U.S. slipped last week to a six-month low as views of the buying climate softened, indicating a re-acceleration in household spending may be slow to materialize.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index fell to 40.5 in the seven days ended May 31 from 40.9 in the prior week. It marked the eighth straight week of declines, the longest such period since the survey began in 1985, after the index reached an almost eight-year high in April.

“In short: It’s a serious sell-off,” Gary Langer, president of Langer Research Associates LLC in New York, which produces the data for Bloomberg, said in a statement. “Weakened views of the buying climate bear the brunt of the blame for the index’s recent troubles.”

Sentiment has retreated in recent months as consumers pay more at the gas pump and weak wage growth makes households less enthusiastic about their finances. Employment opportunities and further gains in the housing and stock markets may help underpin spending.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-04/consumer-comfort-in-u-s-falls-to-lowest-level-since-november

[upaloopa]

1. Yet auto sales are up? What gives?

[Recursion]

9. Housing starts too. Maybe that's just it...

People are getting big ticket items which is crowding out normal consumer spending?

[Sunlei]

19. lease cars? not sure how people can afford cars, the price has about doubled from 2008.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

2. Beer is a priority, you know.

I can live without a new iPad, but take away the beer and the fun and games are OVER!

[imthevicar]

5. I brew My own!

It's cheaper than craft brews and taste better.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

10. I tried it once - a "fool-proof" recipe and procedure.

Turned out tasting sour and terrible. Drank it anyway, of course. No need to waste perfectly fine alcohol.

[imthevicar]

11. Lactos Bacilla

Contamination. Never breath on the wart!

[Raine1967]

14. You ARE a home brewer.

That is actually desired when seeking a sour beer… my friend Mike wrote this book.

Hubby is correctly the Resident of the DC Homebrewer club… we brew hard.

[imthevicar]

20. yep

And A piss poor speller.

[titaniumsalute]

16. LOL...or the wort...

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

18. LOL!

I don't think you should be breathing on either!

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

17. Now you tell me!

[titaniumsalute]

15. I applaud you for home brewing

I drink a copious amount of craft beer and collect rare stuff. It is certainly cheaper than buying beer, trading, etc. But home brew doesn't always taste better. I've had some amazingly awful home brews. I've also had some absolutely amazing stuff as well though.

[imthevicar]

21. Likewise,

I've had some spectacular failures, and some wonderful successes! Worst failure, while racking 10 gal of beer for secondary fermentation, My friends 5 Y/O child sneezed in it!

[project_bluebook]

3. my spending hasn't slowed a bit

Living in a republiCon run state I spend all kinds of money on property tax, mandatory auto insurance and that non existent inflation.

[Purveyor]

4. I hear that. Our lovely repuke state of Michigan has the highest auto insurance rates in the

county with the average yearly policy costing $1700. Our bordering states yearly average is around $850...

Then 'they' wonder why we also have a very large group of uninsured motorists on the road. Disgusting, indeed.

[project_bluebook]

8. Yep, and they are still trying to cut programs for the working poor

to pay for their big corporate tax breaks and crumbling roads.

[Pakhet]

12. we're paying 4200 a year for car insurance

I have never had a ticket, much less an accident. the other driver is my mother and she hasn't had a ticket in 8 years.

[imthevicar]

6. Have you Noticed,

That almost everything in the supermarket has been hit with a shrink ray, except the prices?

[project_bluebook]

7. yes, everything is shrinking but the bills

too bad the government doesn't include shrinkage when figuring out the COLA for Social Security. Even those dollar chocolate bars the kids sell are about 1/3rd the size they used to be.

[olddots]

13. my auto insurance and registration per year cost more than my vehicle is worth

I'm sure this is the case for millions of people now .If you aren't a 1 % er you are under water one way or another .

[Kablooie]

22. Awful! The halcyon days of last November are gone forever.

[Rex]

23. So when do we get our TARP bailout?

That should fix the economy. At least do it before Christmas! That way we don't have to read another snide editorial by some poor SOB that only has a few billion...complaining that they've done everything they can to make us spend money. Then chide us for saving some.