The fall in a key index that measures US consumer worries increases President Barack Obama’s chances of keeping his job, according to a new report.

The preliminary October figure for the Money Anxiety Index, published yesterday, puts the level of consumer financial anxiety at 86.1, in line with the level for September. The initial September reading of 92.4 was revised down the same day to 86.1 after the US government said that total employment increased by 873,000 jobs that month. The October reading is 11.9 points lower than in October 2011.