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Economy in Brief
U.S. Financial Accounts Show Moderate Borrowing, Average Ratio to GDP
rowing in U.S. financial markets slowed in Q2 2018, according to the Federal Reserve's Financial Accounts data...
U.S. Small Business Optimism Diminishes
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index declined to 104.8 during November...
U.S. Gasoline Prices Fall; Crude Oil Costs Rise
Gasoline prices declined to an average $2.42 per gallon (-2.6% y/y)...
ZEW Assessments Shift and Weaken in December
The economic situation has worsened everywhere...
U.S. JOLTS: Job Openings and Hires Rates Improve
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the total job openings rate improved to 4.5% during October...
by Tom Moeller March 30, 2012
The University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment for March increased to 76.2 from 75.3 in February. The figure compared to expectations for a slight dip to 75.0. An improved reading of current economic conditions led the gain in last month's sentiment that was offset by a decline in consumer expectations. During the last ten years there has been a 60% correlation between the level of sentiment and the three-month change in real personal consumption expenditures.
The Reuters/University of Michigan survey data are not seasonally adjusted. The readings are based on telephone interviews with just- over 300 households. Data are in Haver's USECON database. The expectations figure is in Haver's AS1REPNA database.
| University of Michigan (Q1'66 = 100) |
Mar | Mid Mar |
Feb | Jan | Mar Y/Y |
2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Sentiment | 76.2 | 74.3 | 75.3 | 75.0 | 12.9% | 67.3 | 71.8 | 66.3 |
| Current Economic Conditions | 86.0 | 84.2 | 83.0 | 84.2 | 4.2 | 79.1 | 80.9 | 69.6 |
| Consumer Expectations | 69.8 | 68.0 | 70.3 | 69.1 | 20.6 | 59.8 | 66.0 | 64.1 |
