Assessment of consumer sentiment toward the economy based on telephone interviews of several hundred adults. The survey queries people on their personal financial situation and current willingness to spend.

The figure is released weekly, making the ABC Consumer Comfort Index the timeliest indicator of consumer sentiment. However, the index is relatively new and often overshadowed by the more established University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment and Conference Board Consumer Confidence indices. Nevertheless, the ABC Consumer Comfort Index is useful as an early suggestion of what more significant monthly figures will reveal.

Declining levels of consumer comfort usually accompany any fall in income and wages and precede drops in consumer spending. A low or falling ABC Consumer Comfort value is considered an early indicator of an economic downturn. As a result, investors, retailers and traders alike all watch the figure for insight into the general health of the economy.

Note: The index incorporates the most recent week's data with the results of the past three weeks, yielding a rolling four week average. Results are calculated as the difference in percent of positive and negative numbers.