NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - President Bush said Tuesday that the U.S. economy is "gathering strength," but a survey showed consumer confidence remained stalled as recovery is yet to hit home for many Americans.

Seventy-one percent of those surveyed said the economy's in bad shape, miring the ABC News/Money magazine Consumer Comfort Index in a long-running slump. The index stood at -18 on its scale of +100 to -100 for week ended Oct. 26, its 23rd straight week between -16 and -21.

Respondents to the poll were, however, a bit more confident of the national economy as the component gauge ticked up 1 point to 29 percent.

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Positive ratings on the buying climate gauge, which measures whether the economy is conducive to making purchases, and the personal finances measure held steady at 37 percent and 57 percent, respectively.

The staid results of the ABC/Money index contrast with the cheery mood reflected in the Conference Board's October consumer confidence measure, which jumped to 81.1 from 77.0 in September.

The weekly ABC/Money poll is based on 1,003 interviews, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The index ranges from +100 to -100.  

-- Reuters contributed to the story