Consumer sentiment increased in August, as the RealClearMarkets/TIPP Economic Optimism Index rose from 48.6 in July to 50.9, a 4.7% gain. After peaking at a 40-month high of 54.0 in December, the index eased to 51.9 in January and 52.0 in February before slipping below the crucial 50.0 benchmark in March. August’s reading breaks a five-month spell in the pessimistic territory.
RCM/TIPP: Investor Confidence Soars To 4-Year High, Lifting Consumer Optimism In August
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Three Gauges, One Outlier
Three widely watched surveys measure U.S. consumer confidence. Judged against each one's own history, RCM/TIPP and the Conference Board sit near normal; Michigan is near a record low.
The Divide Widens
The RCM/TIPP Economic Optimism Index rose 0.5 points to 45.6 in September, its best reading since March. The gain came almost entirely from investors, and the confidence gap between investors and everyone else is now the second-widest on record.
The Rebound Holds
The RCM/TIPP Economic Optimism Index held July's rebound in August, easing just 0.4 points to 45.1, as personal finances firmed and the six-month outlook slipped.
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