… Soft data are things like surveys of consumer and business confidence; hard data are things like actual retail sales. Normally these data tell similar stories (which is why the soft data are useful as a sort of early warning system for the coming hard data). Since the 2016 election, […] Read more »
Consumer sentiment remains on high plateau in April
Consumer sentiment in April continued to travel on the high plateau established following Donald Trump’s election, with only minor deviations from its five-month average of 97.4, according to the University of Michigan (U-M) Surveys of Consumers. There is widespread agreement among consumers on their very positive assessments of the current […] Read more »
50% Have Little to No Confidence in GOP Health-Care Push
Half of Americans say they have little to no confidence that Republican efforts to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act would make things better, according to results from the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. CONT. Mark Murray, NBC News Read more »
The Biggest Threat to Our Economy Is … the Political Climate
Although the Republican sweep of the White House and both chambers of Congress in November has gotten a lot of credit for the stock rally that followed, a significant number of Americans think those same politicians are the biggest threat the economy faces over the next six months. According to […] Read more »
Americans’ Financial Assessments Most Positive in a Decade
Americans’ assessments of their current financial situation are the most positive they have been in a decade, continuing a mostly upward trend since 2013. Fifty-two percent of U.S. adults now say their current financial situation is “excellent” or “good.” CONT. RJ Reinhart, Gallup Read more »
Trump Product Endorsements Drive Consumers … Away
When Donald Trump won the Oval Office, critics worried he would use his elevated stature to enhance his personal power to pick winners and losers by endorsing products. But new consumer survey data from Simmons Research suggest the Trump presidency may be having the opposite effect on the Trump brand. […] Read more »