Survey: Arizona Consumer Confidence Drops

WizardOfAz · April 22nd, 2005, 02:33 PM

For the first time since early last year, the Arizona Consumer Confidence Index has dropped below 100, according to the Rocky Mountain Poll, which was released Friday.

At the current 97.4 level, the Arizona Consumer Confidence Index is now 7 points lower than the start of the year.

The survey found that consumers are concerned that higher energy prices and health care costs will eat away at economic growth.

Here in the Valley, the index dropped 8 points to 99.9, while Tucson consumers sent the level down three points to 87.8.

Consumer assessment of current economic conditions is modestly lower than in January, from 105 to 103.8.

However, looking six months from now -- that part of the index fell to its lowest level since January 2003. And only 30 percent of respondents expect the job market to improve during the second half of this year.

Twenty-one percent expect it to worsen.

The findings are based on a survey of 536 adult consumers in Maricopa and Pima Counties, conducted between April 12 and April 17 by the Behavior Research Center of Arizona as part of the Center's independent Rocky Mountain Poll series.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/s...8/daily61.html