For Immediate Release:  Wednesday, October 13, 2004

 

New York State Consumer Confidence Down to 78.4

Upstate Confidence Dips 7 Points to 71.9 – Its Lowest in 17 Months

Metro NYC Makes Small Advance Following Huge Drops the Previous Month

Buying Plans Mixed

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Loudonville, NY – New York State consumer confidence went down 1.8 points overall in September, the result of a 7.1 point drop in Upstate overall confidence, according to the latest poll by the Siena (College) Research Institute (SRI). At 78.4 overall confidence, New York State is 15.8 points below the nation*; New York State’s 84.9 current confidence is 18.8 points below the nation.

September 2004

Consumer Confidence:

The

Nation

New York

State

diff.

pts

 

New York

State

Metro New York City

Upstate

NY

Overall

94.2 (-1.7)

78.4 (-1.8)

15.8

78.4 (-1.8)

82.1 (+1.5)

71.9 (-7.1)

Current

103.7 (-4.2)

84.9 no chng

18.8

84.9 no chng

86.0 (+3.8)

82.6 (-7.2)

Future

88.0 (-0.2)

74.2 (-2.9)

13.8

74.2 (-2.9)

79.6 no chng

65.0 (-7.0)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each month, the SRI survey establishes a Consumer Confidence index number for New York State consumers. This index number allows a comparison of New Yorkers to all Americans (“the nation”) as surveyed by the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment index. The SRI survey measures current and future consumer confidence, which combined provides the overall consumer confidence. SRI further looks at confidence in New York State by region (metro New York City and Upstate), age, income, gender and party.

 

Consumer Confidence in New York State: August/September 2004

(Groups listed in descending order by September’s Overall CCI Rating)

 

Overall

Current

Future

 

Aug.

Sept.

chng

Aug.

Sept.

chng

Aug.

Sept.

chng

Republicans

96.9

92.4

-4.5

102.7

99.6

-3.1

93.2

87.8

-5.4

Higher income

84.4

84.2

-0.2

92.1

94.0

+1.9

79.6

77.8

-1.8

Men

83.0

82.8

-0.2

85.6

89.8

+4.2

81.3

78.3

-3.0

Under Age 55

82.1

82.5

+0.4

86.4

87.9

+1.5

79.3

79.1

-0.2

Metro NYC

80.6

82.1

+1.5

82.2

86.0

+3.8

79.6

79.6

no chng

New York State

80.2

78.4

-1.8

84.9

84.9

no chng

77.1

74.2

-2.9

Women

77.0

74.1

-2.9

84.1

80.0

-4.1

72.5

70.3

-2.2

Lower income

74.8

72.8

-2.0

75.0

75.0

no chng

74.7

71.3

-3.4

Upstate NY

79.0

71.9

-7.1

89.8

82.6

-7.2

72.0

65.0

-7.0

Age 55+

76.3

71.7

-4.6

82.2

79.6

-2.6

72.5

66.7

-5.8

Democrats

69.5

69.9

+0.4

72.8

78.1

+5.3

67.4

64.7

-2.7

 

Overall Sept. CCI Stats:

Highest CCI:  92.4

(Republicans)               

Lowest CCI: 69.9  

(Democrats)                    

Greatest drop: -7.1  

(Upstate NY)

Current Sept. CCI Stats:

Highest CCI: 99.6 

(Republicans)                 

Lowest CCI: 75.0 

(Lower income)

Greatest drop: -7.2 

(Upstate NY) 

Future Sept. CCI Stats:

Highest CCI: 87.8

(Republicans)

Lowest CCI: 64.7 

(Democrats)

Greatest drop: -7.0

(Upstate NY)

 

Buying plans for cars and trucks are up 1.4 points to 13.2%; for computers, up 1.0 point to 15.1%; and for furniture, up 0.8 of a point to 21.9%. Buying plans for homes are down 2.6 points to 5.1%; and for major home improvements, down 1.2 points to 18.3%.

 “Upstate consumer confidence is dragging down the entire state,” says Dr. Douglas Lonnstrom, professor of statistics and finance at Siena College and SRI Director. “Future confidence upstate is particularly dismal with an index of 65, which is 23 points below the nation and nearly 15 points lower then New York City.  Heading into the winter heating season with record high energy prices is clearly taking its toll.”

The SRI survey of Consumer Confidence was conducted in September 2004 by random telephone calls to 623 New York State residents over the age of 18.  It has a margin of error of + 3.9 points.  For more information or comments, please call Dr. Douglas Lonnstrom, Siena College professor of finance and statistics and SRI Director, at 518-783-2362 (office) or 518-456-6073 (home). Survey cross-tabulations and frequencies can be found at www.siena.edu/sri/surveys.asp.  *National data compiled by the University of Michigan.