Author: Valerie Lundeen

Consumer sentiment continued to inch upward over the past two weeks, with the HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) increasing 0.5 points to 41.5, its highest position in two months. Click here to view image. The increase in economic sentiment is due to robust gains in confidence in the job market and the overall U.S. economy.… Continue reading Economic Sentiment Continues Its Slow Rise

Economic sentiment ticked upward over the past two weeks, despite the Omicron variant emergence and turbulence in the stock market. The HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) gained 0.5 points to reach 41.0, matching its position from four weeks ago. Click here to view image. The ESI’s rise comes on the back of strong gains from… Continue reading Economic Sentiment Claws Back Some Lost Ground

Economic sentiment inched up over the past two weeks, on the heels of the passage of President Biden’s signature infrastructure deal in the House of Representatives. The HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) rose 0.9 points to 41.0, only the second gain since early August. The ESI’s three-day moving average closed out on a four-day, 4.5-point… Continue reading Economic Sentiment Recovers Slightly

Economic sentiment experienced its first positive movement since early August, as the HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) eked out a 0.3 gain, after an uptick in the ESI’s three-day moving average since September 25. Leading the charge were jumps in confidence in the housing market and finding a new job. Click here to view image.… Continue reading A Speckle Of Relief For Economic Sentiment

Overall economic sentiment was unchanged over the past two weeks, as consumers digested an array of differing economic indicators. The HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) remained at 42.5. Click here to view image. While overall economic sentiment remained the same since last period, the ESI’s five constituent indicators did make moves. Confidence in personal finances… Continue reading Economic Sentiment Unchanged As Consumers Digest Mixed Economic Signals

Economic sentiment continued its decline over the past two weeks, with consumers expressing a particular lack of confidence in the overall U.S. economy. The HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) dropped 0.4 points to 42.5, nudging closer to the all-time low of 40.1 reached in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. Click… Continue reading Economic Sentiment Nears Historic Low Set At Start Of Pandemic

Economic sentiment fell to its lowest point so far in 2021, as the HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) dropped 2.8 points to 45.0. Amidst a surge in inflation worries, confidence in making a major purchase and confidence in the housing market drove a significant decline. Click here to view image. After briefly reversing in the… Continue reading Consumer Confidence Slumps To 2021 Low Amid Spending Reluctance

Economic sentiment rebounded over the last two weeks, ending a slide that lasted from the end of April to the end of June. The HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) jumped 1.5 points on the back of strong gains in confidence in making a major purchase and confidence in the housing market—the same indicators that had… Continue reading Economic Sentiment Rebounds After Two-Month Slide

Economic sentiment fell for the fourth straight reading over the last two weeks, as the HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) dropped 1.6 points to 46.3. A new record high for confidence in the job market was not enough to outweigh steep declines in confidence in making a major purchase and confidence in the housing market,… Continue reading Despite Record-Breaking Confidence In Job Market, Consumers Are Reluctant To Spend

Overall economic sentiment fell for a third time in four readings, as the HPS-CivicScience Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) dropped 0.5 points to 50.1. This week’s reading marks the breaking of two records: Confidence in the job market reached a record high for the second reading in a row (rising 4.1 points to 59.0) even as… Continue reading Record Highs, Record Lows Reflect Mixed Bag For Consumer Confidence