FIN SURVEY

Confidence in the White House and U.S. Congress on business issues slipped again at the end of 2009 from record lows the previous year.

• The White House confidence level dropped from 2.3 of the previous two years to 1.9 at the end of 2009. The White House index has averaged 2.9 since it was first asked in 1997. The high point was 3.5 at the end of 2000.

Just under half (49.4%) rated their White House confidence on business issues as “very low” and nearly another quarter (24.1%) “low.” Only 3.6% rate the White House “very high.”

• Congress continued to rank below the White House with a 1.7 rating. That was down from 1.9 a year ago. A 56.1% majority gave Congress the lowest and another 28% marked “low.”  Only 1.2% gave Congress a “very high” mark.

• A 61% majority rated their confidence level in the North American economy at “moderate” and 29.3% “low.”

A 54.2% majority pegged their Global confidence level at “moderate” and 33.7% “low.” ©2010 GlobalFastenerNews.com