Economic Confidence Lowest For Any Month Of The Year: Gallup

For the month of July, the average score was minus 15, the lowest for any month in the past year. This is essentially on par with the minus 14 average recorded in April, May and June. However, though the ECI had a mostly lackluster July, the measure saw dramatic improvement last week, fueled by Democrats' increasing optimism about the economy. Whether Democrats and other Americans will hold on to this rosier economic view remains to be seen. Friday's second-quarter GDP estimate, firmly below the consensus estimate of 2.5 percent, serves as a reminder that the economic recovery, though long by historical standards, remains tepid.