Index: 70% See Worsening RE Market

Seven in 10 investors believe that conditions in the real estate market are getting worse, according to a monthly UBS/Gallup index.The companies' Index of Investor Optimism indicates that 70% of respondents view conditions as worsening in the real estate market, compared with 63% in June. According to the index, 56% of respondents rated conditions in the real estate market as "only fair" (44%) or "poor" (12%) in August, up from 46% in June and July. The index overall registered a 53, down two points since the previous month and 40 points since January. "The drop in confidence in the real estate market reflects the economic data for that sector and suggests that investors are feeling the pinch in their local markets," said Anne Briglia, senior fixed-income strategist in UBS Wealth Management Research. Further information on the index can be found online at http://www.ubs.com/investoroptimism.