Consumers' upbeat mood about current business and labor conditions underscores the economy's continuing recovery, but the latest retreat in expectations suggest that the pace of economic growth will not accelerate in the months ahead,
While the latest signals suggest that U.S. economic activity should decelerate in coming months, consumers are not expecting this record-breaking economic expansion to end any time soon.
The level of optimism does not suggest a dramatic acceleration in economic growth during the first half of 2003.