U.S. consumer confidence slipped in the latest week after a sharp jump the week before, according to an ABC News index, but economic optimism was at a seven-year high.

The overall consumer-comfort index reading was -43 on its scale of -100 to +100 in the week ended Sunday, down three points from the prior week.

But 33 percent of respondents said the economy is going in the right direction, the highest level since January 2004. Only 23 percent say the economy is getting worse, the fewest since March 2002. The 10-point difference between the two is the widest gap in almost nine years.

The poll also hinted at other signs of economic improvement, such as a 9-point drop since September in the number of respondents who say President Barack Obama’s policies have made the economy worse.

The index is based on a random survey of 1,000 respondents nationwide. It measures typical Americans’ confidence in the national economy, their finances and their willingness to spend money, according to the report. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three points.

The index is derived by subtracting the negative response to each index question from the positive response to that question. The three resulting numbers are added and divided by three.