Lynn Franco Continue Quotations

Growing optimism about the overall health of the economy continues to bolster consumers' short-term outlook. But consumers' assessment of current conditions, which strongly hinges on improvements in the labor market, remains both weak and volatile.

The tight labor market and continue optimism about jobs is clearly keeping consumer spirits high.

Consumers continue to rate current conditions quite positively, but they're still tentative about the outlook.

Consumer confidence readings continue to indicate a strong overall economy. Consumers are not only optimistic about current conditions, but their expectations for the next six months signal continued low unemployment and minimal inflationary pressures.

Consumer confidence continues to bounce back and is now at its highest level since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast.

Barring an unforeseen shock, we would expect consumer confidence to continue to hover around current levels, indicating continued economic growth.

The lack of improvement in labor market conditions continues to dampen consumers' spirits, ... Despite September's retreat, consumers remain cautiously optimistic about the outlook for the next six months. Consumer spending is likely to continue at or near current levels.

The continued decline in the Present Situation Index suggests that consumers would tend to curb their spending in the absence of offsetting incentives, ... a significant deterioration in consumer attitudes.

As the economic ramifications of Sept. 11 continue to reverberate in the coming weeks and months, and the number of layoffs continues to rise, the economy faces tougher times ahead. While consumers have managed to keep the U.S. out of a recession for several years now, that soon may no longer be the case.

Whatever stock market effect we've had probably was felt in the present conditions index, but the overall index remains strong, ... The boost in optimism, coupled with tax refunds, should continue to fuel spending.