The Gallup Economic Confidence Index averaged -19 in September, up from -27 in August and nearly matching the -17 seen in May, the highest monthly reading since the start of Gallup Daily tracking in 2008. … The eight-percentage-point overall improvement in September is almost entirely owing to a jump in […] Read more »
For Americans, Being ‘Better Off’ Is a Matter of Perspective
“This president cannot tell us that you are better off today than when he took office,” Mitt Romney said as he accepted the Republican presidential nomination. Since then, “Are you better off?” has become a central theme of the campaign, and is likely to surface next week at the first […] Read more »
Economy Still Weak, but More Feel Secure
Both economists and the Romney campaign are puzzling over the same paradox: The recovery has flagged and yet the country’s mood appears to be improving. Despite months of disappointing-to-dismal economic reports — capped by a Commerce Department release Thursday showing the economy had expanded at an annual pace of just […] Read more »
Bad Data, Upbeat Voters
Polls suggest rising optimism among Americans about the near-term course of the U.S. economy at the same time that economic forecasters are turning pessimistic and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is so worried about persistently high unemployment that he is unleashing another big, and controversial, round of bond-buying to try […] Read more »
Consumer Comfort Climbed Last Week to a Two-Month High
Consumer confidence in the U.S. climbed for a fifth straight week as Americans grew less pessimistic about the world’s largest economy. The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to minus 39.6 in the week ended Sept. 23, the highest level since July, from minus 40.8 in the previous period. [cont.] Elizabeth […] Read more »
Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® Increases in September
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had declined in August, improved in September. The Index now stands at 70.3 (1985=100), up from 61.3 in August. [cont.] Conference Board Read more »