Its consumer confidence index fell to 99 in February from 100.6 in January.

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And we learned that February may not have been any better, since the Conference Board reported the bottom has dropped out of consumer confidence, its Consumer Confidence Index plunging from 56.5 in January to 46.0 in February. (The norm for the index is 100, based on its level in 1985).

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February new homes sales are expected to decline 5% on the month to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 415, 000 and the Conference Board's March consumer confidence index is seen slipping to 67.1 from February's 69.6.

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The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply to 58.6 in the month, from 66.7 in February.

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