Highlights
Consumer sentiment fell to its lowest level since late January this week according to the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort index which fell to minus 44.4 , down 8.3 points in seven weeks to its lowest since January 29.

Among other factors, recently rising gasoline prices likely played a role in the deterioration.

Among the CCI's individual gauges, 56 percent of Americans now rate their personal finances negatively, up by eight points in the two past months to the most since mid-May, matching the most this year and 12 points more than its long-term average. Eighty-eight percent, meanwhile rate the national economy negatively, the most since early February; 45 percent give the economy its worst rating, "poor," the most since mid-January. Seventy-three percent call it a bad time to buy things they want and need, including 30 percent who rate the buying climate as "poor," the most since the first week of the year.