Florida consumer confidence up

Consumer confidence in the state of Florida rose slightly in September, up to its highest point since May -- but still down 13% since before the Gulf oil spill, according to the University of Florida.

While acknowledging the progress made across the state since the Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20, UF Survey Research Center director Chris McCarty says the latest results do not bode well for Florida's short-term future.
“This is by no means a return to a state of optimism,” McCarty said in a release. In fact, he added, “It seems increasingly less likely that we will fall into another recession.” 

Home prices are still struggling to bounce back, and currently hover at 2002 levels, McCarty says. And the state's employment picture is no better: “Unfortunately, the job losses from this past recession have been so high that it will take many years to return to pre-recession levels,” he said.

The September version of the UF's Florida Consumer Attitude Survey was based on 419 responses.