Steven Wood Consumer Quotations

This will offer some partial restraint to consumer spending.

Less refinancing activity should dampen consumer spending -- although that has not yet occurred.

Given (Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's) concerns regarding consumer attitudes this development has to be seen as worrisome.

Some of the December strength and January weakness appears to be related to Y2K precautions; the (Federal Open Market Committee) will need a lot more evidence of a slowdown in consumer spending than this to convince them that further tightening is not warranted,

We still expect economic activity to slow over the next several quarters as consumer spending slows further and housing declines more because of higher interest rates and energy costs. The absence of inflation will be welcomed at the Federal Reserve.

This stronger consumer sentiment may yet translate into solid core consumer spending for the holiday season.

With employment gains non-existent, income growth has slowed. As households also become more judicious in taking on more debt, consumer spending will remain soft.

These data clearly show consumer attitudes at recessionary levels,

Despite the brief moderation in consumer attitudes, consumers appear to be spending heavily still, urged on by widespread hiring and income growth.

Despite rising interest rates and higher energy costs, the consumer remains remarkably resilient.

The burden of higher interest rates will weigh down the housing industry further. This, in turn, should lead to moderated residential construction and home related consumer spending on goods such as furniture, appliances, and home improvement items in coming months.

Although real consumer spending was strong it has slowed for two consecutive quarters and finished Q1 with very little momentum. In order to sustain recent strength in real consumer spending, job creation will need to accelerate further.

Although home buying remains at relatively high levels, and though no longer robust, refinancing activity has slumped. Less refinancing activity should dampen consumer spending.

Although home buying remains at relatively high levels, although no longer robust, refinancing activity has slumped. Less refinancing activity should dampen consumer spending.

Although higher interest rates appear to have begun to have a negative impact on housing activity and consumer spending, sturdy domestic demand and improving international economies have generated an acceleration in manufacturing activity.

Consumer optimism climbed higher in December after soaring in November. This followed huge back-to-back declines in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the associated surge in energy prices.

Slowing income gains and increased uncertainty have savaged consumer spending. This has removed the only major support for the economy, insuring the recession will last, at least, into early next year.

Importantly for the Fed, the pace of real consumer spending slowed in March, and combined with early forecasts for lower vehicle and retail sales for April, suggests there is some scope for slower growth in the second quarter,

Industrial activity is contracting across a broad set of industries, reflecting the declines in both consumer and business spending.

Higher claims suggest slower job gains, which should dampen income growth, consumer spending, and overall economic activity.

Housing fundamentals are deteriorating. Mortgage rates have been flat since the beginning of the year. Job creation and income growth has slowed. Equity markets have plunged over the past year. And consumer confidence has tumbled. Moreover, mortgage applications have trailed off. All of these suggest that home sales should weaken over the next several months.

Housing fundamentals are deteriorating, ... Mortgage rates have been flat since the beginning of the year. Job creation and income growth has slowed. Equity markets have plunged over the past year. And consumer confidence has tumbled. Moreover, mortgage applications have trailed off. All of these suggest that home sales should weaken over the next several months.