Consumer Confidence Holds Steady

U.S. consumer confidence remains high as fewer Americans plan to cut back on holiday spending than at any time in the last decade, according to a Money Magazine/ABC News poll.

The results are tracked in the Consumer Comfort Index, which has a scale of -100 to +100. The index held steady at +6 after falling two weeks ago. The index reached an all-time high of +14 on Sept. 7.

Of the 1,049 people surveyed, 57 percent rated the economy positively, raising the poll’s “economic index” by two points to +14.

Some 59 percent gave the high marks to their finances, raising the survey’s “personal finances” index by two points to +18.

About 57 percent said that now is not a good time to spend, dropping the poll’s “buying climate” by four points to -14.

The index’s record low of -50 was set Feb. 9, 1992.

Money, a Time Warner Inc. publication, has surveyed U.S. consumer attitudes weekly for the past 11 years.