The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index(TM) Retreats

NEW YORK, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Consumer Confidence
Index(TM), which had improved considerably in May, retreated in June. The
Index now stands at 49.3 (1985=100), down from 54.8 in May. The Present
Situation Index decreased to 24.8 from 29.7. The Expectations Index declined
to 65.5 from 71.5 in May.

The Consumer Confidence Survey(TM) is based on a representative sample of
5,000 U.S. households. The monthly survey is conducted for The Conference
Board by TNS. TNS is the world's largest custom research company. The cutoff
date for June's preliminary results was June 23rd.

Says Lynn Franco, Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center:
"After back-to-back months of strong gains, Consumer Confidence retreated in
June. The decline in the Present Situation Index, caused by a less favorable
assessment of business conditions and employment, continues to imply that
economic conditions, while not as weak as earlier this year, are nonetheless
weak. Looking ahead, Expectations continue to suggest less negative conditions
in the months ahead, as opposed to strong growth."

Consumers' appraisal of present-day conditions was less favorable in June.
Those claiming business conditions are "good" decreased to 8.0 percent from
8.8 percent, while those saying conditions are "bad" increased to 45.6 percent
from 44.5 percent. Consumers' assessment of the labor market was also less
favorable. Those stating jobs are "hard to get" increased to 44.8 percent from
43.9 percent. Those saying jobs are "plentiful" decreased to 4.5 percent from
5.8 percent.

Consumers' short-term outlook also waned in June. Consumers anticipating an
improvement in business conditions over the next six months decreased to 21.2
percent from 22.5 percent, while those expecting conditions will worsen
increased to 20.2 percent from 18.0 percent in May.

The job outlook was also more pessimistic. Those anticipating more jobs in the
months ahead decreased to 17.4 percent from 19.3 percent, while those
anticipating fewer jobs increased to 27.3 percent from 25.6 percent. The
proportion of consumers expecting an increase in their incomes declined to 9.8
percent from 10.8 percent.

Source: June 2009 Consumer Confidence Survey, The Conference Board

SOURCE The Conference Board

Lynn Franco, The Conference Board, +1-212-339-0344,
Lynn.Franco@conference-board.org