CNN says Americans are increasingly worried about higher inflation and many more are afraid of rising unemployment. “Consumers continue to worry about the potential for pain amid ongoing economic policy developments. Notably, two-thirds of consumers expect unemployment to rise in the year ahead, the highest reading since 2009.” According to Fortune, while income and spending grew… Continue reading February consumer confidence falls
News Tag: Economic Behavior
US consumer sentiment, inflation expectations deteriorate sharply in April
U.S. consumer sentiment fell sharply in April — from 57.0 in March to 50.8 this month — and inflation expectations surged to the highest level since 1981. Surveys of Consumers director, Joanne Hsu, said, This decline was pervasive and unanimous across age, income, education, geographic region and political affiliation. Consumers report multiple warning signs that raise… Continue reading US consumer sentiment, inflation expectations deteriorate sharply in April
Consumers aren’t seeing any relief ahead for high prices, says U of M’s Joanne Hsu
Surveys of Consumers’ director, Joanne Hsu, joined the CNBC Power Lunch to discuss the latest consumer sentiment numbers and the impact of tariffs on how consumers feel about their personal finances.
Consumers worried about labor markets amid trade policy volatility
ANN ARBOR—Consumer sentiment fell for the fourth straight month, plunging 8% from March and reaching its lowest reading since July 2022. While the April decline in current conditions was relatively modest, the expectations index plummeted with drop-offs in personal finances as well as business conditions, said economist Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys… Continue reading Consumers worried about labor markets amid trade policy volatility
50 years of US economic change linked to poorer health, shorter lives for less-educated Americans
ANN ARBOR—Fifty years of economic change have taken a heavy toll on some Americans, especially those with less education who not only have been left behind but are sicker and living shorter lives, according to new research. The study published in Epidemiology and led by Arline Geronimus, professor at the University of Michigan School of… Continue reading 50 years of US economic change linked to poorer health, shorter lives for less-educated Americans
Yang finds unintended consequences of an early education program in the Philippines
A major policy change in early education in the Philippines led to an unexpected drop in test scores and academic achievement—revealing the challenges that even well-intentioned reforms can have and the importance of wisely investing in the first years of learning. The “natural experiment” came about in 2012, when the Philippine government introduced the Mother… Continue reading Yang finds unintended consequences of an early education program in the Philippines
Uncertainty around economic policies sinks consumer sentiment again
ANN ARBOR—Consumer sentiment plummeted 12% in March, falling for the third straight month. While current economic conditions were little changed, the forward-looking expectations index plunged a precipitous 18% and has now lost more than 30% since November 2024, said economist Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers. This month’s decline reflects a… Continue reading Uncertainty around economic policies sinks consumer sentiment again
Consumer sentiment drops as inflation worries escalate
ANN ARBOR—Consumer sentiment slid nearly 10% from January and fell for the second straight month. The decrease was unanimous across groups by age, income and wealth. All five components of the sentiment index deteriorated this month, led by a 19% plunge in buying conditions for durables, due in part to fears that tariff-induced price increases… Continue reading Consumer sentiment drops as inflation worries escalate
Self-employment income widely underreported, U-M survey shows
ANN ARBOR—Among older workers, the majority of self-employment income missing from tax records is due to unreported earnings to the Internal Revenue Service rather than differences in how income is classified, a new University of Michigan study finds. The analysis shows that the amounts of self-employment income reported in the Health and Retirement Study, but absent from… Continue reading Self-employment income widely underreported, U-M survey shows
From Epic to Elections: How a TV Series Transformed India’s Cultural and Political Landscape
Economists use variations in TV signal strength to demonstrate long-term impacts of the smash 80s series, ‘Ramayan.’ The TV series “Ramayan,” based on the Hindu epic, reshaped the public sphere in India when it aired in the 1980s. When it ran on Sunday mornings, “streets would be deserted, shops would be closed and people would… Continue reading From Epic to Elections: How a TV Series Transformed India’s Cultural and Political Landscape