After sliding for much of the fall, consumer confidence climbed in the past month and is now more than twice as strong as it was a year ago, according to the most recent results of the RBC Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household Index.

Driven by a strong upswing in expectations for the near-term economic future, the index for December 2009 stands at 39.0, up 8 points from November’s 30.2 reading. A year ago, in December 2008, the RBC Index stood at 15.3.

“Traditionally, the holidays are a season of hope and optimism. Despite continuing high unemployment and weak assessments of personal finances, the RBC Index shows that American consumers are optimistic that the economy will soon begin to improve,” said RBC Capital Markets U.S. economist Tom Porcelli. “However, overall consumer confidence remains low and susceptible to negative news, which could create more pointed fluctuations in consumer confidence in the near- to medium-term period.”

The index, which is based on a nationwide sample of more than 1,000 adults surveyed by Ipsos Reid, is benchmarked to a baseline of 100 assigned at its introduction in January 2002.

The index is composed of four sub-indices: RBC Current Conditions Index; RBC Expectations Index; RBC Investment Index; and, RBC Jobs Index. Improvements this month were seen across all four sub-indices.

Consumers reported that they are more comfortable purchasing household products and also major items such as a house or car.

Consumers do not appear to have gained confidence in terms of their personal finances, however. The percentage of consumers rating their personal financial situation as “weak” remains at roughly one-third, and only 21% rate their current personal finances as strong.

But consumers are becoming slightly more optimistic that their finances will improve in the near future, the index shows. Consumer expectations for the near-term economic future also improved significantly in December.

The RBC Investment Index climbed 10 points this month, to 46.9 from 36.6 in November. The improvement stems from increasing confidence in the ability to invest in the future. Among the groups expressing more confidence were young people under age 35, African-Americans and Hispanics, RBC said.

The RBC Jobs Index for December edged up 0.5 points to stand at 51.4, compared to 50.9 in November. Confidence in the job market has held steady over the past month despite more Americans saying they or someone in their close circle has lost a job in the last six months. Seven-in-10 Americans personally know someone who has lost a job, up from 66% in November.