Mass Insight: Consumer confidence drops a bit in the Bay State

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

A Massachusetts consumer confidence index posted a slight drop in its latest quarterly reading, as consumers fret about the job market and uncertain national and global conditions.

The index is maintained by Mass Insight Global Partnerships, a Boston-based consulting and research firm that seeks to build regional and global alliances among higher education, industry, and government. The index is scaled to a 1985 base of 100. If the index is less than 100, consumers are more negative than positive. A reading above 100 reflects a positive outlook.

The index reading for the third quarter was 81, down from the previous quarter’s reading of 85.

Readings are determined by a telephone survey of 500 adult residents of Massachusetts conducted for Mass Insight by Opinion Dynamics Corp.

In a statement, Mass Insight chief executive William H. Guenther said: “We’ve hit a ceiling again in consumer attitudes. With national and global conditions still uncertain, positive economic trends in Massachusetts are not enough to improve confidence.”