consumer confidence

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Consumer Confidence Takes First Jump in Months

Dow rises on the news

(Newser) - The confidence of American consumers rebounded this month to end the year on a high note despite high inflation, rising interest rates that have made credit cards and mortgages more expensive, and growing anxiety about a possible recession. The Conference Board reported Wednesday that its consumer confidence index rose to...

Consumer Confidence Sees First Rise in 3 Months
US Consumers
Feel a Little Less Bad
NEW SURVEYS

US Consumers Feel a Little Less Bad

Recent surveys broke a 3-month losing streak, but deep uncertainty remains

(Newser) - Consumers are feeling better now than they have all summer, but—historically speaking—they’re still about as downbeat as can be, per the Wall Street Journal , citing data from the latest University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey. In June, the survey hit its lowest point in decades, despite historically...

Consumer Confidence Takes Worrisome Tumble

Index is at its lowest point since August

(Newser) - US consumer confidence fell to a reading of 96.1 in November as rising coronavirus cases pushed American optimism down to the lowest level since August. The November reading released Tuesday by the Conference Board represents a drop from a revised 101.4 in October, the AP reports. Economists were...

Consumer Confidence Soars to Almost 5-Year High

It hasn't been this strong since well before the financial crisis

(Newser) - Americans' confidence in the economy surged last month to the highest level in nearly five years, as many were encouraged by an improving job market. The Conference Board says its consumer confidence index increased in October to 72.2. That's up from 70.3 in September and the highest...

Consumer Confidence Soars Past Expectations

There's good housing news, too

(Newser) - Consumer confidence soared to a seven-month high, flying far above analyst expectations, according to a Conference Board report released today. The board's index came in at 70.3, up from 61.3 a month earlier. That's a whole heck of a lot better than the 63 that the...

Consumer Confidence Soars
 Consumer Confidence Soars 

Consumer Confidence Soars

It neared its post-recession peak this month

(Newser) - Are American shoppers at last stepping back from the ledge? The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index shot up 10 points in December to 64.5, the AP reports. That's its highest reading since April and closing in on its post-recession peak of 72, which was achieved in February....

Consumer Confidence Hits Seven-Month Low

People antsy about unemployment rate

(Newser) - US consumer confidence plunged to a seven-month low in June on continuing worries about high unemployment and stagnating wages. A reading of 90 indicates a healthy economy on the index; the June score was 58.5, a six-point drop from May. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index measures how...

Walmart: Gas Prices Hurting Our Shoppers

CEO says customers 'running out of money'

(Newser) - Walmart shoppers are running out of cash, pinched by high gas prices and unemployment, the company’s CEO said this week. “We’re seeing core consumers under a lot of pressure,” Mike Duke said at a retail industry gathering, according to CNN . “There’s no doubt that...

Paul Krugman: GOP Budget Cuts Would Destroy Recovery
 GOP Cuts Would 
 Destroy Recovery  


paul krugman

GOP Cuts Would Destroy Recovery

House Republicans relying on 'Confidence Fairy' with job-killing measures

(Newser) - We’re finally clawing our way up from the bottom of the very deep hole that is the recession: Unemployment has dipped amid a "virtuous circle of rising incomes and improving finances." Yet House Republicans are pushing spending cuts that would send us right back down again, writes...

Secret to Recovery: Optimism
 Secret to 
 Recovery: 
 Optimism 
opinion

Secret to Recovery: Optimism

Obama, Boehner must promote American confidence

(Newser) - There’s a big economic problem that’s been keeping a low profile: American confidence, writes David Smick in the Washington Post . “Between $2.5 trillion and $4 trillion of private capital is waiting on the sidelines to ‘reliquify’ a new era of American confidence and innovation,”...

Forget the Rosy Stats: The Little Guy Is in Bad Shape
Forget the Rosy Stats:
The Little Guy Is in Bad Shape
Nouriel Roubini

Forget the Rosy Stats: The Little Guy Is in Bad Shape

Economy far worse off than statistics indicate

(Newser) - Don’t believe the rosy official statistics; for most Americans, the economy is in incredibly bad shape, according to the economist some call “Dr. Doom.” We’re looking at a tale of two economies, Nouriel Roubini writes in the Globe and Mail . For top businesses, it’s recovering...

Dow Falls 34 Ahead of Jobs Data
 Dow Falls 34 
 Ahead of Jobs Data 
MARKETS

Dow Falls 34 Ahead of Jobs Data

Dow still on track for best quarter in 10 years

(Newser) - Stocks fell today as traders lost some of yesterday’s confidence ahead of looming job reports. ADP will release its September survey tomorrow, with weekly data due Thursday and the government’s nonfarm payrolls report coming Friday. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index, which analysts had been expecting to...

Dow Drops 36 as Consumer Data Saps Stocks

Intel, Dell see gains

(Newser) - Stocks mostly fell today despite good news from the tech sector, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer confidence fell in August, dragging the markets down. Intel rose 4.32% after raising its third-quarter profit forecast, while Dell gained 1.89% on second-quarter earnings that...

Dow Up 30 After Rosy Data
 Dow Up 30 After Rosy Data 
MARKETS

Dow Up 30 After Rosy Data

(Newser) - Stocks closed with modest advances on strong economic data and a drop in oil prices, the Wall Street Journal reports. Advances in second-quarter home prices and a boost in July consumer confidence propelled stock indices to new 2009 highs shortly after the open, but oil’s $2.32 drop moderated...

Dow Up 3 as Stocks Stall Ahead of Reports

Investors await consumer confidence, housing, GDP data

(Newser) - Stocks closed near to opening levels today, with the Dow just barely extending its winning streak into a fifth session, the Wall Street Journal reports. All the indices hit new highs for 2009 early, boosted by housing data, investors pulled back ahead of looming reports on consumer confidence, new home...

Web Apps Keep Tabs on National Mood
Web Apps
Keep Tabs on National Mood

Web Apps Keep Tabs on National Mood

They troll mountains of online data seeking economic indicators

(Newser) - Web-based tools have become increasingly adept at measuring a critical economic indicator: the nation’s mood. Whereas old indicators were based on surveys, these applications sift through mountains of online data, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. TweetFeel, for example, looks for select words and emoticons on Twitter. Other systems do...

Dow Off 77 on Consumer Data
 Dow Off 77 on Consumer Data 
MARKETS

Dow Off 77 on Consumer Data

(Newser) - Stocks dipped today on worse-than-expected information about consumer sentiment, the Wall Street Journal reports. A Reuters index dropped 3 points instead of the anticipated 2-point rise. A downward spiral has been evident since the Fed announced it would not raise interest rates Wednesday. “A day like today has been...

Confidence Sags; Dow Off 82
 Confidence Sags; Dow Off 82 
MARKETS

Confidence Sags; Dow Off 82

But all indices see gains in second quarter

(Newser) - Stocks fell today on an unexpected decline in consumer confidence, the Wall Street Journal reports, after investors held steady at the open despite data that delinquencies on prime mortgages had increased. The consumer-confidence drop came after two months of positive readings. The Dow closed down 82.38 at 8,447....

Dow Up 196 on Confidence Data
 Dow Up 196 on Confidence Data 
MARKETS

Dow Up 196 on Confidence Data

(Newser) - A positive report on consumer confidence gave stocks a boost today, despite poor numbers from the housing sector, the Wall Street Journal reports; financials and construction-related stocks jumped as much as 5%. Home prices, however, were down 19.1% from the first quarter of 2008. The Dow gained 196.17...

'Tentative' Signs Point to Healing US Economy

But changes on paper may take time to hit pockets

(Newser) - Next month, the US recession is set to become the longest since the Great Depression, but the Wall Street Journal, in the first up-beat prediction in months, musters “tentative” signs that things could be turning around. Consumer spending and sentiment rose in February, the housing market is looking more...

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