Tag Archives: Consumer Confidence

Continuing the trend observed in August, Americans' enthusiasm for the housing market abated last month as the government's fiscal policy debate came back into the spotlight. Fannie Mae says it's found that although consumers are ""generally positive"" about housing and the economy, attitudes over the last few months suggest optimism has hit a plateau, even softened.

The nation’s economy grew 2.5 percent in the second quarter, slower than economists forecast, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Thursday. Economists had expected the report the third in the series of monthly GDP reports by the BEA to show the economy had grown at a 2.

Consumer confidence dipped in September as Americans expressed doubt over the current direction of economic conditions. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, which picked up to 81.8 in August following a drop the month prior, fell to 79.

Americans spent more on cars, furniture, health and beauty aids and at restaurants but were otherwise frugal in August as retail sales went up a disappointing 0.2 percent from July, the Census Bureau reported Friday. Economists had expected sales to increase 0.5 percent.

Fannie Mae's National Housing Survey for August shows more people are optimistic about price gains over the next year (55 percent, up from 53 percent), though the average expected gain has pulled back slightly to 3.4 percent (compared to July's high of 3.9 percent). The share of people expecting prices to fall bounced up to 7 percent from July's low of 6 percent. The company explained that consumers' attitudes have hit a plateau ""due to concerns regarding the potential tapering of the Federal Reserve's asset purchases.""

America's Homeowner Alliance announced this week that it is officially open for membership. Launched by a team of industry veterans led by Phil Bracken and guided by an advisory board made up of representatives from the housing industry, prominent consumer groups, and fair housing organizations, America's Homeowner Alliance is the first nationally organized group dedicated to protecting and promoting sustainable homeownership for all segments of America.

After achieving a six-year high in July, consumer confidence diminished in August--though trends still indicate an increase in consumer spending over the next year. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment declined to 82.1 from July's 85.1; however, the drop wasn't as steep as August's preliminary report indicated.

A drop in housing-related retailers slowed retail sales last month. Total retail sales increased 0.2 percent in July, down from June's 0.6 percent increase, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday. Economists had expected sales to increase 0.3 percent. The weaker-than-expected retail sales report decreases the likelihood the Federal Reserve will begin to taper its bond buying monetary stimulus program.

""Beauty,"" Lew Wallace, the author of ""Ben Hur,"" once wrote, ""is altogether in the eye of the beholder."" So, it seems, is ""disappointment""-- at least when it comes to describing or characterizing the employment report for July, which showed 162,000 new payroll jobs and a drop in the unemployment to 7.4 percent. The disappointment came not from the unemployment rate--the lowest since September 2008--but from the creation of ""only"" 162,000 jobs. To be sure, the people who are ""disappointed"" are those forecasters who predicted more jobs would be created.

Personal spending in June grew 0.5 percent, its fastest pace February while personal income rose 0.3 percent ,the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Friday. Economists had expected income and spending each to grow 0.4 percent. By the numbers, income grew $45.4 billion, while spending was up $59.4 billion, the largest month-over-month increase since February when spending rose $75.7 billion.