Highlights
Consumer confidence has surged this month with improvement centered in employment. The Conference Board's measure jumped more than 15 points to 56.0 from an upward revised 40.9 in October. November is the best reading since the debt-ceiling debacle and cut of the US credit rating in August.

Those saying jobs are currently hard to get fell nearly five percentage points to 42.1 percent. Another key reading is a sharp improvement in income expectations over the next six months with more, 14.9 percent, seeing an increase and fewer, 13.8 percent, seeing a decrease. This is the first time since April that optimists have outnumbered pessimists.

Other positives in today's report include an improvement in buying plans for both homes and appliances and a three percentage point decline in 12-month inflation expectations to 5.5 percent. Though measures of the consumer's mood have lagged underlying consumer spending which has been solid, gains in this report and recent gains in the consumer sentiment report are positives for the holiday shopping season. Markets are showing little initial reaction to today's report which however may be a plus for the stock market through the session.

Market Consensus before announcement
The Conference Board's consumer confidence index fell 6.6 points in October to 39.8 with the current conditions component down a sharp seven points to 26.3 and the expectations component down 6.4 points to 48.7. Stand-out weakness appeared in the current assessment of business conditions where fewer, 11.0 percent, describe conditions as good and more, 43.7 percent, describe conditions as bad. Stand-out weakness also was in income expectations where fewer, 10.3 percent, see their income rising and more, 19.2 percent, see their income decreasing.

2011 Release Schedule

Released On: 1/25 2/22 3/29 4/26 5/31 6/28 7/26 8/30 9/27 10/25 11/29 12/27 Release For: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec