You're now on the archive server. Commenting has been disabled.

ABC Consumer Confidence Index Turns Lower Again

Tyler Durden's picture




ABC Weekly Consumer Confidence has flatlined, and not only is it down to -49 from last month's reading of -47, it is at exactly the same place it was two months ago.

A refresher of what the ABC index measures:

Declining levels of consumer comfort usually accompany any fall in
income and wages and precede drops in consumer spending.
A low or
falling ABC Consumer Comfort value is considered an early indicator of
an economic downturn. As a result, investors, retailers and traders
alike all watch the figure for insight into the general health of the
economy.

Note: The index incorporates the
most recent week's data with the results of the past three weeks,
yielding a rolling four week average. Results are calculated as the
difference in percent of positive and negative numbers.

And the market is enjoying this revenueless, earningless, growthless, and now consumerless recovery day after day, sending the market progressively higher.




Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:32 | Link to Comment kote
kote's picture

Same low level as two months ago?  So we've got another market surge ahead?

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:55 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:36 | Link to Comment RobotTrader
RobotTrader's picture

I go to Starbuck's every day.

Place is still busy, but not near as busy as it was 6 - 9 months ago.

A lot of the hot chicks I used to see show up are no longer coming in.  No doubt, probably sales girls who have been laid off.

Nevertheless, the stock keeps going up:

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:47 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:22 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:00 | Link to Comment Dixie Normous
Dixie Normous's picture

Looks like the market to me, just with more % juice.

SBUX sells drugs, addicts need fixes.

Now, why does the Transportation Index have the same formation, that's a question.

Also, restaurants closing at a rapid pace, makes me nervous to eat at one.

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 20:59 | Link to Comment Steak
Steak's picture

Some highlights from the earnings call that had them gapping higher:

"Our research tells us we are making real progress on every measure of customer satisfaction"

"We were just named the number one brand in a new social media engagement report developed by [Alchimeda Group] and [Wet Paint]."

"Comparable store sales came in at a negative 5%."

So there you have it...brush off the crap comps, add up the facebook friends and you can justify a price of 22x 2010 earnings.

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 21:26 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 08/05/2009 - 00:10 | Link to Comment mellmeister
mellmeister's picture

Though business seems to have slowed down a bit there are still plenty of hot chicks at Starbucks over here - blessed be it. Ah, the good old days when Starbucks meant meeting hot sales chicks and banging them 'coupla days later. Alas it's not that much fun with a long-term gf anymore. Make that a Gentlemen's Latte!

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:40 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 20:50 | Link to Comment Mr. Denny Kneel
Mr. Denny Kneel's picture

Yes, we will be divorced from the realities of the markets!  Finally, we will once again remember our place in the world, and strive to remember it in action and deeds (read:  hello Caste system 4.0).

Also, just a question - if China leads our recovery - who will make our stuff?  Just wondering, cause it seems that their factories will be filling up with "Euro-like" or "American-lite" products for the domestic consumption?  Just got back from there, and the trend is hot (european sounding brand name, chinese designed and manufactured product). 

Just a thought...

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:41 | Link to Comment Gabriel Gray
Gabriel Gray's picture

Green shoots, smoke em while you got em.

7 days RSI over 91... insane!

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:59 | Link to Comment Dixie Normous
Dixie Normous's picture

I don't usually follow RSI but they look high.

What are you looking at that's at 91?

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:29 | Link to Comment Gabriel Gray
Gabriel Gray's picture

SPY

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:42 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 08/05/2009 - 00:14 | Link to Comment mellmeister
mellmeister's picture

Great! That's why I have been partially participating in the green shoots rally. Bring em on!

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:44 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:44 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:46 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:09 | Link to Comment lizzy36
lizzy36's picture

Wow, i am shocked.  Tyler Durden a long lost relation of Billy Graham...

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:10 | Link to Comment ptoemmes
ptoemmes's picture

The (HFT) computers seems rather confident. 

What is the level of the computer confidence index?

 

Pete

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 22:38 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:18 | Link to Comment Sam Clemons
Sam Clemons's picture

My McClellan Summation Index indicator has been at all time highs for about 3 months now - even higher than the top of the bull market in 07 and 99.  Perfectly justified with all the great fundamentals of the US economy.

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:21 | Link to Comment rapier
rapier's picture

I like everyone follows the Conference Boards ConCon number. Their number has an exremely high correlation to the stock market. They ask a lot of people what's up with the economy and since they have no clue but have been taught since birth, the pediatrician talking his portfolio usually,  that the stock market tells the future when the market rises and falls so does 'confidence'. Except the last two months. The market has been screaming at Joe and Jane that things are getting great and they are not listening.

The outline of the coming political problem are right there to see. The Pigmen are paying to get Joe and Jane stirred up against the administration, so the heat will be off of them. For all the adminstration has done for him they are going to throw them under the bus and run back and forth dozens of times. There will be blood, the Pigmen will buy new friends.

 

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:29 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 21:55 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:33 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 19:57 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 20:19 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 21:53 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Tue, 08/04/2009 - 23:32 | Link to Comment Arm
Arm's picture

Lower income, higher consumer spending = BAD

Is it that hard for somebody on Bloomberg or CNBC to understand?  If you earn less and spend more, then you are royally fucked

Wed, 08/05/2009 - 00:24 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!