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RAPAPORT... While the October U.S. government shutdown profoundly and negatively affected consumer confidence, November's reading improved 10 points to negative 25 but that was still well below the reading of negative 19 points registered in September, according to Gallup. The net economic outlook score in November improved to negative 27 points from negative 40 points in October. Gallup found that 34 percent of U.S. consumers believed the economy is getting better and 61 percent believed it was getting worse. Interestingly, there is a tremendous difference in economic confidence based upon political party affiliation, Gallup found. Registered Democrats exhibited the most positive outlook through an economic confidence index above zero with a reading of 4 points in November; conversely, the index for registered Republicans was at negative 50 points and the index for Independents was closer to the average at negative 28 points. There was also an 11 point spread in the index between those consumers with annual household incomes above $90,000 and those who earn less. Upper-income households felt more positive about the economy with an index reading of negative 16 points, whereas the index for those who earn less than $90,000 was negative 27 points in November.
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