Americans’ consumer sentiment surpasses levels last seen just before the March 2020 lockdowns as the Overall Confidence Index in this week’s Ipsos-Forbes Advisor U.S. Consumer Confidence Tracker hits 61.2. This week’s score is less than 3 points shy of its historical record of 63.8 high of May 2018. Other sub-indices […] Read more »
Americans’ Emphasis on Environmental Protection Shrinks
As the country continues to recover from the economic shock waves created by the coronavirus pandemic, Americans are more divided than they have been in several years about whether protecting the environment (50%) or strengthening the economy (42%) should be the greater priority. … As Gallup has reported previously, Americans’ […] Read more »
U.S. Economy Optimism Hits Covid-Era High On Vaccines, Stimulus
Optimism over the U.S. economy keeps skipping ahead to new Covid-era highs, propelled by vaccines and stimulus checks. The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index, an early monthly read on consumer confidence, rose one point to 56.4 in April, after jumping 3.5 points in March. Readings above the neutral 50 level reflect […] Read more »
It’s anything but the economy, stupid
… Democrats are betting that trillions in economic spending, from an already passed stimulus and a proposed infrastructure and welfare bill, will deliver tangible benefits to Americans, who will in turn reward them in next year’s election. Republicans are betting on the primacy of cultural or social-policy concerns, from the […] Read more »
Advancing A Post-COVID Agenda
…A robust economy is critical for our post-COVID world. Biden knows this. Looks like Rescue Plan, yes; Jobs Plan, maybe. The important takeaway here is that both signify a serious response to the economic chaos wrought by the pandemic. Will they have an effect? Only time—and the jobs reports—will tell. […] Read more »
Consumer confidence reaches pre-pandemic levels
Consumer confidence closes in on levels of optimism last seen in early March 2020, reading at 59.7 in this week’s Ipsos-Forbes Advisor U.S. Consumer Confidence Tracker. This represents an increase of 1.4 points from the week prior and is now statistically on par with the March 2020 pre-pandemic reading of […] Read more »