US consumer confidence dips as jobs outlook dims

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER

WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans' confidence in the economy fell slightly in September from August, as many became less optimistic about hiring and pay increases over the next six months.

The Conference Board, a New York-based private research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dropped to 79.7 in September. That's down from August's reading of 81.8, which was slightly higher than previously estimated.

Consumers' confidence is closely watched because their spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity. The September reading was only slightly below June's reading of 82.1, the highest in 5 1/2 years.

While confidence has bounced back from the depths of the Great Recession, it has yet to regain a reading of 90 that typically coincides with a healthy economy.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130924/DA90QGGG1.html

[onehandle]

1. Hey morons. Vote Democratic and make optimism.

That is all.

[tofuandbeer]

2. Oh great.

[BlueJazz]

3. There is no doubt about it. If the progressives do not gain control of this country...

....in some way, at some time, the populace and USA will spiral down to a non-important entity

[AdHocSolver]

4. So, why is the government pushing the TPP, which is NAFTA on steroids.

The biggest lie about the economy is that the so-called Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will create jobs for Americans.

If NAFTA was mainly a "giant sucking sound" of jobs leaving the U.S., then the TPP and its European counterpart will be a tsunami of jobs leaving the U.S

It is a bald-faced lie that the TPP will create demand for U.S. products. The lie is that the U.S. is a technological leader compared to the rest of the world.

The multinational corporations shipped the high technology jobs to Asia. American technology workers are no longer needed as a large amount of our high technology products are manufactured in China, South Korea, Taiwan, or Hong Kong. Just what high-tech products would be made in the U.S. that can't be made more cheaply in Asia? What is the incentive to make it here to sell it there if it can be made more cheaply over there and avoid shipping costs?

The only purpose of the TPP is to ensure the multinationals high profits and no competition from start-ups.

If TPP goes through, then consumer confidence will follow the jobs down the same sinkhole.

It is disturbing that so few people are paying attention to this issue.

[jtuck004]

6. Perhaps the same reason we have been pursuing policies that benefit the wealthy by

keeping their assets intact and growing, on the backs of everyone else, under the guise that it is "good" for "us".

It ain't good for a couple hundred million people, and that's an indisputable fact, unless one wants to kowtow to one's banker friends and campaign donors.

[madrchsod]

5. where i live there are more job postings

i'm thinking there are a lot of people retiring and some business are improving their sales. the majority of these jobs pay well and many are in the skilled trades.

the problem is there is not enough jobs because the fucking republicans don't give a shit about working class americans