consumer confidence news stories on Newser

Consumer Confidence Soars

Kevin Spak — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:27:19 CST

Are American shoppers at last stepping back from the ledge? The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index shot up 10 points in December to 64.5, the AP reports. That's its highest reading since April and closing in on its post-recession peak of 72, which was achieved in February. Consumers were...

Consumer Confidence Hits Seven-Month Low

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:40:58 CDT

US consumer confidence plunged to a seven-month low in June on continuing worries about high unemployment and stagnating wages. A reading of 90 indicates a healthy economy on the index; the June score was 58.5, a six-point drop from May. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index measures how Americans...

Walmart: Gas Prices Hurting Our Shoppers

Kevin Spak — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:12:05 CDT

Walmart shoppers are running out of cash, pinched by high gas prices and unemployment, the company’s CEO said this week. “We’re seeing core consumers under a lot of pressure,” Mike Duke said at a retail industry gathering, according to CNN . “There’s no doubt that rising fuel prices are having an...

GOP Cuts Would Destroy Recovery

Matt Cantor — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 12:48:05 CST

We’re finally clawing our way up from the bottom of the very deep hole that is the recession: Unemployment has dipped amid a "virtuous circle of rising incomes and improving finances." Yet House Republicans are pushing spending cuts that would send us right back down again, writes Paul Krugman for...

Secret to Recovery: Optimism

Matt Cantor — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:54:00 CDT

There’s a big economic problem that’s been keeping a low profile: American confidence, writes David Smick in the Washington Post . “Between $2.5 trillion and $4 trillion of private capital is waiting on the sidelines to ‘reliquify’ a new era of American confidence and innovation,” he notes. Now, we need...

Forget the Rosy Stats: The Little Guy Is in Bad Shape

Kevin Spak — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:34:59 CST

Don’t believe the rosy official statistics; for most Americans, the economy is in incredibly bad shape, according to the economist some call “Dr. Doom.” We’re looking at a tale of two economies, Nouriel Roubini writes in the Globe and Mail . For top businesses, it’s recovering slowly—hence the 3.5%...

Dow Falls 34 Ahead of Jobs Data

Nick McMaster — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:16:26 CDT

Stocks fell today as traders lost some of yesterday’s confidence ahead of looming job reports. ADP will release its September survey tomorrow, with weekly data due Thursday and the government’s nonfarm payrolls report coming Friday. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index, which analysts had been expecting to rise, fell in...

Dow Drops 36 as Consumer Data Saps Stocks

Nick McMaster — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:28:17 CDT

Stocks mostly fell today despite good news from the tech sector, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer confidence fell in August, dragging the markets down. Intel rose 4.32% after raising its third-quarter profit forecast, while Dell gained 1.89% on second-quarter earnings that...

Dow Up 30 After Rosy Data

Nick McMaster — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:21:38 CDT

Stocks closed with modest advances on strong economic data and a drop in oil prices, the Wall Street Journal reports. Advances in second-quarter home prices and a boost in July consumer confidence propelled stock indices to new 2009 highs shortly after the open, but oil’s $2.32 drop moderated gains....