The Consumer Comfort Index regained some ground this week after sustaining its largest prolonged loss since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with improved assessments of personal finances and the national economy triggering the rebound.

The index is up 1.7 points to 53.2 on its 0-100 scale, rallying after a 5.4-point decline the previous four weeks – the largest such loss since May 2020. The CCI still is 3.7 points off its pandemic-era peak in mid-June and 9.8 points short of its pre-pandemic level in March 2020, with no consistent progress the past three months.

Americans’ ratings of the national economy are up 2.2 points this week, pivoting from an aggregate 4.6-point drop the previous five weeks. Similarly, ratings of personal finances are up 2.3 points in two weeks, including 2.0 points just this week, after a 6.0-point loss from mid-June to mid-July. The CCI’s third gauge, based on ratings of the buying climate, has held steady since early July.

Each subindex, while vastly improved from its pandemic low last May, falls short of its recent high and remains below its pre-pandemic level.

• At 48.7, the national economy subindex is 2.4 points short of its nearest peak six weeks ago and 18.4 points from its pre-pandemic level, albeit up 26.2 points from its five-year low in May 2020.
• After fully recovering from its pandemic losses, the personal finances subindex, at 65.7, is 3.7 points off its 16-month high five weeks ago and 2.9 points off its pre-pandemic level.
• The buying climate subindex, at 45.4, is 5.3 points short of its pandemic peak five weeks ago and 7.9 points off its pre-pandemic level, though still up 16.6 points from its pandemic low in May 2020.