Unless the Bush administration can successfully counter recent criticism, Bush and consumer confidence might continue to flounder. If so, the markets will justifiably worry about Bush's chances of re-election.
It would be a mistake to get bearish on the consumer now, ... It's been a mistake to be bearish on the consumer for many years.
It would be a mistake to get bearish on the consumer now. It's been a mistake to be bearish on the consumer for many years.
The inflation news due out on Friday with the producer price index and next Tuesday with the consumer price index will probably be unfriendly,
Each one-dollar change in oil prices has a $7 billion per year impact on consumer spending. So the gain in oil prices recently, from $25 a barrel to $37, is an enormous influence on the economy -- $84 billion, in other words.