The University of Michigan's Survey Research Center has released preliminary data on its September consumer sentiment index. What's the verdict? Depends on who you ask, I guess. This was the headline from the New York Times :
Consumer Confidence Declines
The Houston Chronicle, on the other hand, thought this was the better characterization:
Report says consumer confidence about the same
Here's the facts. The index for September stands at 95.8, compared to 95.9 in August and 96.7 in July. The report was viewed as bad news because it came in below market expectations. Nonetheless, it also true, as the Times article notes, " The confidence measure has held above 95 for the last four months, the longest such string since the end of 2000."
Maybe your point of view depends on whether you're a Texan or a New Yorker. I'm from Cleveland. Looks like not much news to me.