Richard Curtin Prices Quotations

That certainly is part of the issue. People have stakes (in the stock market) have noticed these things. If you get to the top quarter or the top 10 percent, then these consumers have mentioned decline in stock market prices much more often.

Consumers view high gas prices as a threat to their living standards and a threat to the ability of the economy to create new jobs.

The recent increases in gas prices have thrown a cold blanket on consumers' hopes for additional declines in gas prices.

We have fewer consumers who have positive views of housing prices of any time since 1982 and fewer consumers who have positive views of interest rates of any time since the last recession.

Compared with $3 gas, consumers were relieved that gas prices are now closer to $2. Nonetheless, consumers anticipate that gas prices will remain at relatively high levels for the foreseeable future.

Declines in gas prices were responsible for the substantial gain, which nearly restored confidence to the levels recorded prior to the spike in gas prices last August.

Although higher income and employment levels have offset the impact of rising gas prices on consumer confidence, there is a considerable degree of dread about future prospects among middle- and lower-income households.

High gas prices had a devastating impact on consumers' budgets and caused consumers to expect a worsening financial situation during the year ahead.