Consumer Confidence

  • Sentiment increases 12 points to 39.2, from 26.9 in March
  • Expectations increase from 30.2 to 49.5
  • Present Conditions increased from 21.9 to 23.7

There’s definitely caution, but it pales in comparison to what we saw in the second half of 2008. By the second half, we may see a decided increase in consumer spending

Maxwell Clarke, chief U.S. economist at IDEAglobal

Consumers believe the economy is nearing a bottom…[but it] remains well below levels associated with strong economic growth.

Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board’s consumer research center