New data from the Surveys of Consumers shows consumer sentiment falling by 11% in March among Americans of all ages, income groups and political affiliations. In the New York Times, Joanne Hsu said, “Many consumers cited the high level of uncertainty around policy and other economic factors; frequent gyrations in economic policies make it very difficult for consumers to plan… Continue reading U.S. Consumer Sentiment Drops as Inflation Anxiety Soars

Fewer Americans are traveling by air, especially domestically, due to increasing worries about recession. Joanne Hsu, director of the Surveys of Consumers, says this isn’t a distress signal the way car loan defaults would be, but, “It’s a sign consumers may not be as willing to spend as freely as they have in previous years. … It… Continue reading American travelers are booking fewer domestic flights in another warning sign for the economy

Surveys of Consumers director, Joanne Hsu, joined Michigan Public’s Stateside to discuss February’s sharp drop in consumer sentiment. Consumers are aware about the news around tariffs, even amid all the other news that’s happening in the country and in the world right now, and specifically when we look at the major events over the last couple of months… Continue reading Stateside Podcast: Consumer confidence suffered in February, U-M says

The latest numbers from the Surveys of Consumers show a decrease in consumer sentiment. On National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition, Joanne Hsu said people worrying about where prices are headed: “We’ve seen two consecutive months of sizable increases in inflation expectations, both for the short run as well as the long run. People are really concerned that inflation could come… Continue reading Why consumers are not feeling optimistic about the economy, and what the data says

January’s Surveys of Consumers found expectations for future inflation increased, reflecting growing concerns about tariffs Trump has promised. The New York Times quotes SCA’s director, Joanne Hsu: “These consumers generally report that tariff hikes will pass through to consumers in the form of higher prices. Recent data show an emergence of inflationary psychology — motives for buying-in-advance to avoid… Continue reading Which Interest Rate Should You Care About?

While the overall economy is good – inflation and unemployment are down and wages are up – consumers have not been feeling great. Now that political power is changing, so is spending and consumer sentiment. Joanne Hsu told Marketplace, “Republicans believe Trump’s policies are going to usher in growth, lower inflation in the future, whereas Democrats are… Continue reading Joanne Hsu discusses the political divide in consumer sentiment