Rhode Island Consumer Confidence (Brown University surveys)
The Rhode Island Index of Consumer Confidence is modeled after five questions from the national Index developed at the University of Michigan. It is used to determine over time how optimistic or pessimistic people are feeling in relation to the base period of 1966, when the Index stood at 100. The higher the reading, the more optimistic consumers are.
|
September, 2001 |
75.1 |
|
June, 2001 |
86.5 |
|
February, 2001 |
84.9 |
|
February, 2000 |
97.9 |
|
September, 1999 |
99.2 |
|
June, 1999 |
101.2 |
|
January, 1999 |
106.3 |
|
September, 1998 |
104.7 |
|
May, 1998 |
102.9 |
|
January, 1998 |
100.1 |
|
September, 1997 |
91.6 |
|
June, 1997 |
87.1 |
|
February, 1997 |
87.0 |
|
September, 1996 |
82.3 |
|
June, 1996 |
78.5 |
|
February, 1996 |
74.3 |
|
September, 1995 |
73.9 |
|
June, 1995 |
68.8 |
|
February, 1995 |
81.4 |
|
September, 1994 |
82.7 |
|
July, 1994 |
80.1 |
|
February, 1994 |
81.0 |
|
September, 1993 |
74.4 |
|
July, 1993 |
69.8 |
|
February, 1993 |
76.0 |
|
September, 1992 |
68.3 |
|
June, 1992 |
76.0 |
Index Questions:
We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are: better off, worse off financially than you were a year ago, don't know or no answer
Now looking ahead--do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be: better off financially, worse off, just about the same as now, don't know or no answer
Now turning to business conditions in the state as a whole--do you think that during the next twelve months we'll have: good times financially, bad times, don't know or no answer
Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely--that in the state as a whole: we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression, or what, don't know or no answer
About the big things people buy for their homes--such as furniture, a refrigerator, stove, television, and things like that. Generally speaking, do you think now is a: good, bad time for people to buy major household items, don't know or no answer
Index Calculation:
As done in the calculation of the National Index, we take the percentage of favorable replies minus the percent giving unfavorable replies to each of these questions (plus 100 points for each difference to ensure a positive number). These five differences then are summed and divided by the 1966 base period total of 6.7558 (with 2.0 added as a constant to correct for Michigan sample design changes since the 1950s).