Survey finds metro NY dour on aspects of economy

Consumer confidence in the metropolitan area dropped last month on concerns about rising food prices and stock-market turbulence, according to a new poll.

The Siena College Research Institute Wednesday reported its confidence index for Long Island, New York City and its northern suburbs was 61.2 in October, a decline of 3.1 points from the month prior.

Statewide, the index fell 2.6 points to 59.1.

In September the confidence index climbed, month over month, for the metro area but fell statewide.

Residents in the metropolitan area are pessimistic about their financial well-being in the near term and the short term.

Index readings below 75 indicate the number of people worried about their future exceeds those who are optimistic.

"New Yorkers continue to see bad times, both now and in the future," said Siena pollster Douglas Lonnstrom. "No demographic group even approaches being more optimistic than pessimistic."

Lonnstrom attributed the fall in the outlook of local consumers to food costs. Sixty-nine percent of metro area residents said grocery prices were "somewhat or a very serious problem," the first increase since July.

Worries about gasoline prices were unchanged at 56 percent for a second month. "We seem to have become used to high gasoline prices, but New Yorkers' ever increasing food bill still surprises at the checkout line," Lonnstrom said.

Residents across the state, when asked about big-ticket purchases in the next six months, were less likely to expect to buy an automobile, furniture, house or start a major home-improvement project. However, more people said they planned to buy a computer.

Outside the Stop & Shop supermarket on Long Beach Road in Oceanside Wednesday, some customers said they were stretching their food budget by purchasing store brands rather than name brands for cereal, bread, cheese, yogurt and other staples.

"I think the quality is just as good, and it's a lot cheaper," said Lynn Marie Schwartz of Island Park, a mother with four children. "These days you need to make your money go further. I never clipped coupons before, but now I do."