Consumer sentiment in the Prairie region was up January after deteriorating in December 2011. Sentiment improved across all categories but remained slightly negative regarding the timing of a major purchase.

The balance of sentiment about the outlook for household budgets improved markedly in January compared to the previous month, rebounding from the four-month low in December.

The outlook for job growth was more optimistic in January 2012, continuing to climb and marking the best month since June 2011.

The balance of sentiment about making a major purchase, such as a home or a car, improved in January compared to December 2011, but remained just inside negative territory. A negative balance of sentiment means more survey respondents said it was a bad time to buy a big-ticket item, such as a home or car, than said it was a good time to do so. This indicator is an important factor underlying the housing market.