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 »
Americans Feeling Better Than in 2009 Amid Skepticism on Obama
Public confidence in the U.S. economy is bolstering President Barack Obama’s re-election chances even as Americans continue to view his stewardship skeptically. [cont.] Mike Dorning, Bloomberg 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 »
Democrats’ Economic Confidence Soars in September
Democrats’ economic confidence continues to grow in the second half of September, building on a sharp increase that coincided with the Democratic National Convention. … Democrats’ 10-point increase in economic confidence last week contributed to the overall Gallup Economic Confidence Index’s holding steady near the highest level seen this year, […] Read more »