After a strong start to the year, a dip in the summer, and a rebound to a new high this fall, consumer confidence is slumping to end 2018 near where it began in a December New York Times|SurveyMonkey poll.
Still, relative optimism reigns: Looking ahead to 2019, 42 percent of people expect to be better off financially a year from now, up from 38 percent a year ago. Just over half of people (51 percent) expect continuous good times economically in the next five years, up from 47 percent in December of last year.
On another positive note, six in 10 people (60 percent) say they’re more hopeful than fearful about what 2019 has in store for them personally.
Click through all the results in the interactive toplines below.
Read more about our polling methodology here.
Question text:
Which one of the following issues matters MOST to you right now?
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president? Would you say that you and your family are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago? Now looking ahead - do you think that a year from now you and your family will be better off financially, worse off financially, or just about the same as now? Now turning to business conditions in the country as a whole - do you think that during the next 12 months we'll have good or bad times financially?
Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely to take place in the next five years for the country as a whole: Thinking about the big things people buy for their homes - such as furniture, a stove, a television… Generally speaking, do you think now is a good or bad time for people to buy major household items?
Do you approve or disapprove of the tax law that was passed in December 2017? Do you approve or disapprove of a tariff—a tax—on steel and aluminum that is imported to the U.S. from other countries? Looking ahead to next year, are you more hopeful, or more fearful, about what the year 2019 holds in store for you personally? Compared to last year, do you expect to spend more, less, or about the same on holiday gifts this season? Do you expect to do more holiday shopping online or in-person this year? Which do you think is a better approach to the problems facing some U.S. automakers? In his first two years in office, do you think Donald Trump has done too much for the U.S. auto industry, too little, or has he done the right amount for the U.S. auto industry? If you drive, what kind of vehicle do you usually drive? What brand of vehicle do you drive?
