consumer confidence

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Stocks Dip as Fed Meets
 Stocks Dip as Fed Meets  
MARKETS
Jun 24, 2008 3:46 PM CDT

Stocks Dip as Fed Meets

Fed inaction spurs recovery from bad economic news

(Newser) - The markets seesawed throughout today's session, closing down slightly as a minor rally in financials offset bad economic news and warnings of a poor quarter for UPS, MarketWatch reports. The Dow fell 34.93 to 11,807.43, Nasdaq dropped 17.46 to 2,368.28, and the S&P...

Oil Surges; Markets Record Weekly Gains

Consumer confidence hits 28-year low

(Newser) - Stocks fell, then climbed back almost to opening levels today to wrap up a generally strong week. Yet another record oil price—almost $128 a barrel—drove early losses, and a report of the lowest consumer-confidence rating in 28 years did not help. The Dow closed down 5.86 at...

Consumer Confidence Hits 26-year Low
Consumer Confidence Hits 26-year Low
Economy
Apr 25, 2008 10:59 AM CDT

Consumer Confidence Hits 26-year Low

Inflation, housing put people in a funk; most call it a recession

(Newser) - Consumer confidence fell to a 26-year low in April, as the public fretted over inflation and housing, Reuters reports. The index fell to 62.6, surpassing the 63.2 analysts had predicted. Nearly 90% said the economy is in recession. Respondents also said they were unlikely to spend their stimulus...

Markets Plunge on GE News
 Markets Plunge on GE News 
MARKETS
Apr 11, 2008 3:46 PM CDT

Markets Plunge on GE News

Dow drops 256 points after surprisingly weak earnings report

(Newser) - The markets went into a tailspin today after GE shares declined 13%—the company's worst performance since the 1987 crash, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow fell 256.56 points to close at 12,325.42, the Nasdaq dropped 61.46 points to 2,290.24, and the S&...

Consumer Confidence Hits 26-Year Low
Consumer Confidence Hits 26-Year Low
Apr 11, 2008 11:10 AM CDT

Consumer Confidence Hits 26-Year Low

Index drops far below expectations on job, economy fears

(Newser) - Consumer confidence hasn’t been this low since 1982, according to the Reuters/University of Michigan index, which reported a slide to 63.2 from March’s 69.5. That was lower than even the lowest estimates in a Bloomberg analyst poll. “The consumer’s feeling increasingly hemmed in,”...

Home Prices, Consumer Confidence Nosedive

Housing trouble worsens as recession worries mount

(Newser) - Home prices plummeted again in January, falling a record 10.7% compared to January 2007, according to the bellwether S&P Case/Shiller Hope Price composite. The March consumer confidence index, also out today, plunged to a 5-year low in yet another indication of recession, Bloomberg reports. The Conference Board measures...

Wall Street Sneezes; Heartland Catches Cold

Worries about a recession are hitting home with Americans

(Newser) - The high-profile economic woes plaguing Wall Street and previously hot housing markets are spreading, raising the possibility of the worst recession Americans have faced in years. The New York Times crisscrosses the country, assembling anecdotal evidence—suddenly thrifty brides, unsold construction equipment, sinking earnings at FedEx—that suggests the slowdown...

Consumer Spending Stalls Again
Consumer Spending Stalls Again
Feb 29, 2008 12:03 PM CST

Consumer Spending Stalls Again

Confidence is falling as inflation rises

(Newser) - Consumer spending rose more than expected in January—but only because prices did so as well, Bloomberg reports. Adjusted for inflation, spending remained flat for the second straight month. With fuel costs rising, banks restricting loans, and property values falling, “consumers are clearly hard-pressed to maintain their standard of...

Consumer Sentiment Nosedives
Consumer Sentiment Nosedives
Feb 15, 2008 11:10 AM CST

Consumer Sentiment Nosedives

Economic reports continue to fan recession fears

(Newser) - The last time consumers were this pessimistic, the country was in the midst of recession. The consumer confidence index is at a level not seen since February 1992, according to Reuters/University of Michigan numbers out today, and "has only been this low during the recessions of the mid 1970s,...

Google's 17% Profit Not Good Enough for Markets

Search giant comes up short of estimates

(Newser) - Google disappointed investors with its after-hours announcement of a 17% rise in net income, signaling to many that credit woes could be hurting Internet use. The climb to $1.21 billion, or $3.79 per share, from $1.03 billion, or $3.29 a share, one year earlier underperformed estimates...

Consumer, Housing Numbers Slump
Consumer, Housing Numbers Slump
Jan 29, 2008 11:14 AM CST

Consumer, Housing Numbers Slump

News isn't all gloomy: Demand for durable goods surges

(Newser) - Consumer confidence fell a bit less than expected but still approached a 2-year nadir in January, reinforcing fears that Americans will put the brakes on personal spending. In other economic reports out today, the S&P/Case-Shiller housing-price index report showed a 7.7% year-over-year drop for November, Bloomberg reports, and...

Retailers Slash Prices to Boost Slumping Season

Plagued by high gas and food prices, shoppers hold out for bargains

(Newser) - Retailers slashed prices nationwide this weekend in a bid to draw last-minute shoppers and lift a slumping holiday season, Bloomberg reports. Pressed by high gas and food prices, consumers are holding out for zero-hour deals; retailers have obliged with half-off sales and extra hours, counting on the last days before...

Stocks Even to Close Week
Stocks Even to Close Week
MARKETS
Dec 7, 2007 3:50 PM CST

Stocks Even to Close Week

Mixed data, Fed anticipation stall markets

(Newser) - The markets ended mostly even today as mixed data and anticipation of next week’s Fed meeting kept investors cautious. Given the suspense over a potential rate cut, “who is going to make a big bet now?” asked one strategist. The Dow closed up 5.69 at 13,625....

Consumer Confidence Plummets
Consumer Confidence Plummets
Nov 27, 2007 11:27 AM CST

Consumer Confidence Plummets

Job concerns push index to post-Katrina low

(Newser) - Consumers were a gloomy group in November, when housing and job woes drove the consumer confidence index down to a level not seen since October 2005, when Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath loomed large. “This is a strong indication that consumer spending growth is going to slow sharply,” one...

Even Fat Wallets Closing
Even Fat
Wallets Closing
Nov 25, 2007 12:34 PM CST

Even Fat Wallets Closing

Nation's wealthiest aren't spending, signaling steep economic trouble

(Newser) - Wealthy consumers, the 20% of the population responsible for nearly 40% of consumer spending, are closing their wallets, indicating an even rougher economic road ahead, reports Bloomberg. “When they begin to capitulate, that’s when we all head down,” said one economist. Blame deflating real estate prices and...

Fed Doubts Drive Stocks Down
Fed Doubts Drive Stocks Down
Oct 30, 2007 3:51 PM CDT

Fed Doubts Drive Stocks Down

Consumer confidence report, Procter & Gamble forecasts are drags on markets

(Newser) - Stocks closed down today as confidence that the Fed will cut interest rates tomorrow faded. The Journal reported that policymakers are considering no cut at all, meaning borrowing costs may stay high. The Dow slipped 77.79 to 13,792.47, the S&P 500 was down 9.96 to...

Consumer Confidence Falls to Post-Katrina Levels

Housing slump deepens, cranking up pressure on Fed

(Newser) - Consumer confidence plummeted in September to its lowest reading since October 2005, fueling worries that housing’s downturn could affect consumer spending, which makes up two-thirds of the economy. Home prices, meanwhile, suffered their biggest drop in at least 6 years. “There is really no positive news in today's...

Stocks Edge Up in Balancing Act
Stocks Edge Up in Balancing Act
Sep 25, 2007 3:44 PM CDT

Stocks Edge Up in Balancing Act

Retailers’ sales sink as homes out-perform expectations

(Newser) - Stocks rose slightly today as retail woes were somewhat offset by August home sales that outperformed expectations, MarketWatch reports. Led by Microsoft, which rode the release of “Halo 3” to a 1.5% jump, the Dow climbed 19.59 to 13,778.65. The S&P dipped 0.52...

Consumer Confidence Plummets
Consumer Confidence Plummets
Sep 25, 2007 1:57 PM CDT

Consumer Confidence Plummets

Metric falls more than predicted on job fears, market turmoil

(Newser) - American consumers might need to be talked off some ledges, judging from consumer confidence numbers out today, which indicate continuing worry over employment and stock market unrest. The crucial figure—99.8, compared to 105.6 in August—is the lowest since 2005, the Conference Board says. Economists had expected...

Stocks in Holding Pattern With All Eyes on Fed

Hands wring over Fed and consumers

(Newser) - Stocks marked time today, settling into an eerie calm before next week’s nail-biter Fed decision on interest rates. Investors mulled conflicting consumer data: The University of Michigan/Reuters consumer-sentiment survey announced a rise to 83.8, but August retail growth was less than expected. The confusion amounted to modest gains...

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