Consumer sentiment rose in December, reaching the highest point since April but remaining below its pre-pandemic level. The increase in the consumer sentiment index marked the fifth consecutive month of increases, according to final results from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers for December....
In the latest and final revision of how the economy fared in the third quarter — through the growth in gross domestic product — the headline is that growth was healthy. GDP was better than expected, and it’s almost always the case that GDP’s direction...
November’s consumer spending was buoyant, as eCommerce sales rebounded from a tepid pace in October. Chalk it up to the festive season, but there are signs that consumers are throttling back on at least some retail categories … so they can fill their online carts...
The key takeaway from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) released Wednesday (Dec. 11) is that the pace of inflation pace quickened in November, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Two key areas of essential spending — food and shelter — saw yet another...
Consumers are more optimistic about their household financial situation than they’ve been since February 2020. While consumers’ perceptions about their current financial situation compared to a year ago were mostly unchanged in November, their year-ahead expectations for their situation “improved considerably,” the Federal Reserve Bank...
The Conference Board Employment Trends Index (ETI) saw its largest two-month increase in two years in October and November. The Index — a composite index based on eight leading indicators of employment — rose to 109.55 in November from an upwardly revised 108.25 in October, The...
Now’s the time to buy — because everything might get more expensive, sooner rather than later. To that end, the latest edition of the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index shows consumers are positive about near-term current economic conditions. At the same time, they’re eyeing near-term...
It’s a natural reflex, part of human nature: When the pressure’s on, we look to a solution. For consumers living paycheck to paycheck, the prospect of moving on to the next job, with the promise of better wages or better job security, might be a...
Jobless claims reportedly rose last week, though media reports suggested that the rise was due to the volatility in data that is typically seen around holidays. The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 9,000 during the week ended Saturday (Nov. 30), which included...
