The housing market is looking less and less appealing to consumers

Nov 25, 2022
Americans see this as a bad time to buy a home, according to a consumer sentiment survey from the University of Michigan.
Despite slowing, the housing market is still holding its own, historically speaking, says Jonathan Miller, president and CEO of Miller Samuel Real Estate Appraisers.
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As we head into the holiday shopping season, how are consumers feeling?

Nov 11, 2022
News this week that inflation may be moderating a bit is unlikely to register much with consumers right now.
People walk down a busy shopping street in New York City.
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Despite economic turmoil, consumers keep on spending

Oct 14, 2022
Seemingly contradictory economic indicators make people nervous, but they're not sure what to do about them.
Even in the face of inflation, consumers feel like spending due to low unemployment numbers and rising wages.
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The economy is acting weird. Not even economists can fully say why.

Sep 30, 2022
There are many contradictory economic trends these days, and history isn't providing its usual hints about what will happen next.
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Why Republican consumers are glum and Democrats upbeat

Aug 31, 2022
Consumer sentiment increasingly splits along party lines, with partisans of whoever holds the White House far more optimistic.
Data shows consumer sentiment is increasingly split along party lines. Right now, the gap between political tribes is nearly 35 points, according to the University of Michigan's survey.
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Gas prices are down, but consumer sentiment is up only slightly. Why?

Aug 15, 2022
Fears about a possible recession, as well as still-high prices for food and rent, are making people more cautious in their spending.
A bus driver fills up at a gas station in Brooklyn on August 11, 2022 in New York City. While fuel prices are still historically high, they have fallen below four dollars a gallon in some regions of the country, bringing inflation relief to millions of Americans who depend on their cars for work and other activities.
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Survey finds consumers feel a little better about the economy

Aug 12, 2022
The University of Michigan survey shows improvement, especially among low- and middle-income consumers, who have struggled most with inflation.
Though sentiment is still a mixed bag, people are a bit more optimistic about the economic outlook.
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For public good, not for profit.

February was another disappointment for retail sales

Mar 16, 2022
They've been up and down like a bouncing ball for the past few months.
Not adjusting for inflation, retail sales in February were up just 0.3% over January. Factoring in inflation, they were actually down.
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Consumer sentiment is down. Will consumer spending follow?

Feb 14, 2022
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index is at a 10-year low. But consumer demand and savings remain high.
The job market is booming. Wages are rising. And yet for the past few months now, consumers have been feeling worse and worse about their finances and the state of the U.S. economy.
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Consumers confidence drags while economy takes a roller coaster ride

Jan 31, 2022
Higher wages and low unemployment are good news to people. Inflation isn't.
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