Predicted AP Headline:
Bush Deceives Consumers
NEW YORK (AP) -- Americans became more optimistic about the economy in January, sending a widely followed measure of consumer confidence to the highest level in about three and a half years, a private research group said Tuesday.
The Conference Board said that its consumer confidence index rose to 106.3, the highest level since June 2002, when the reading was also 106.3. The latest reading was up from a revised 103.8 in December. Analysts had expected a reading of 105.0 in January.
"This month's increase was driven solely by consumers' assessment of current economic conditions, especially their more positive view of the job market," said Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, in a statement.
Economists closely track consumer confidence because consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of all U.S. economic activity.
...more positive view of the job market...
Gee, I thought everyone was downtrodden and sad.
Indicators like this make me believe the "polls" showing Bush in the low 40s are CRAP.