Shop till you drop

The Commerce Department reported that business orders for machinery, computer equipment, and the like increased 3.4 percent in March, which was better than the 2.4% increase in February and much better than the 8.8 percent decrease in January. Wall Street celebrated because businesses were spending more, which meant more confidence in the economy.
When compared to [...]

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had declined in April, continues its downward trend in May. The Index now stands at 57.2 (1985=100), down from 62.8 in April. The Present Situation Index decreased to 74.4 from 81.9. The Expectations Index declined to 45.7 from 50.0 in April.