US Economic Confidence Faltering — Gallup

Higher income Americans posted the steepest drop in confidence. Among those earning $90,000/year or more, the confidence index fell -8 points to -17, and among those earning $60,000 to $89,999/year, the index fell -10 points to -21. The index reading for the top group is at its lowest point of the year so far, and the reading for the second group is within 3 points of its 2012 low.

Last year at this time, the US was in the middle of a contentious debate over the federal debt and confidence was at its lowest point since early 2009. This year the continuing financial crisis in Europe, combined with slow growth in the US economy are probably the main contributing factors to the low confidence readings.