Shopping sentiment ticks up as interest rates remain low

California consumers’ pessimism about the state’s economy and their own finances appears to be diminishing, a study released this week found.
The California Consumer Sentiment Index, released quarterly by Chapman University and Claremont McKenna College, rose 5.8% in the fourth quarter, to 96.9 from 91.6 in the previous three months. A reading over more than 100 suggests a majority of consumers favor the direction the economy is moving and its effect on them.
The Chapman-Claremo