Podcast appearances and mentions of lynn franco

The Conference Board announced today that the Consumer Confidence Index® declined in November, suggesting the economy has lost momentum as the year winds down. Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, sits down with Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys, and Erik Lundh, Senior Economist for the US, to discuss what to expect for the US economy. Tune in to find out: How are consumers feeling now, and what do they expect in six months? What does this mean? How are consumers feeling about big-ticket purchases? What are we hearing about holiday spending? What's signaling an upcoming recession? What is the expected impact of a recession on unemployment? Inflation? Housing? Are efforts by the Fed having any impact on inflation?

How are business leaders around the world reacting to the historically complex and precarious combination of challenges facing the global economy? In this episode of CEO Perspectives, The Conference Board President and CEO Steve Odland, and Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys, discuss the results of The Conference Board CEO Confidence Survey. Tune in to find out: What do CEOs think about current economic conditions and what do they expect going forward? Do they anticipate a recession? How does CEO confidence vary by region? How do these results compare with past recessions? Do CEOs expect to reduce their workforce and wages? What challenges do CEOs say their companies face?

Gas prices have really had a positive impact on consumer confidence, says Lynn Franco. She and Eric Theoret discuss the Consumer Confidence report from September 2022. Eric notes that there are very significant headwinds ahead. They talk about how we are headed into a recession. They also go over the outlook for the consumer, noting that labor markets remain tight and have not loosened to central banks' liking. Tune in to find out more about the stock market today.

The Conference Board announced today that the Consumer Confidence Index® increased in September for the second consecutive month. But the likelihood of recessions in the US and across Europe are rising. In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Dana Peterson, Chief Economist, and Lynn Franco, Director of the Indicators program, both from The Conference Board, sit down to discuss what to expect for the US and global economies. Tune in to find out: When—not if—a US recession will likely begin, and how long it will last Why consumer confidence is increasing despite the likelihood of a recession How businesses are managing the pressures of hiring and retaining top talent amid a thriving US labor market and imminent recession Why a global recession is not yet a foregone conclusion Why a recession is expected in Europe and what may make it worse than initially projected Why China is experiencing slow growth, but not a recession

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending July 30th, 2022... a negative GDP report, inflation heads higher, and the Fed's latest rate hike. Hi, I'm Kathy Fettke and this is Real Estate News for Investors. If you like our podcast, please subscribe and leave us a review. Economic NewsWe begin with economic news from this past week. The Federal Reserve carried out its fourth rate hike this year to slow inflation, and the second increase of .75%. That puts the top end of the overnight lending rate at 2.5%. Higher rates make it more expensive for businesses and consumers to borrow money and that helps slow the economy, and the rate of inflation. (1)The latest reading on inflation was a report on the PCE or Personal Consumer Expenditure Index. That shows a 1% increase in June to a yearly rate of 6.8%, which is the highest since January of 1982. When you eliminate fuel and food, the core PCE is 4.8%. The Federal Reserve considers the PCE to be more accurate than the CPI because it takes into account other variables, such as consumers shopping for different, lower-priced items. (2)Fed Chief Jerome Powell has said repeatedly that inflation is too high, but he said during a press conference after the latest rate hike, that the U.S. is not in a recession despite a second quarter of negative economic growth. The government says the economy shrank at an annual pace of -.9% in Q2. That's after a -1.6% loss of economic activity in Q1. Two consecutive quarters of negative growth is the standard definition of a recession, but thanks to a number of things bolstering the economy, such as a strong job market, many economists, including Fed Chief Powell, don't believe we're there yet. (3) Powell said several times that the central bank will do whatever it takes to control inflation, which may put the U.S. into a recession at some point. He suggested more rate hikes in the coming months but didn't give any forward guidance because the situation is so volatile. The Fed expects short-term interest rates to hit 3.5% by the end of the year. Some economists are predicting a 50 point hike in the next meeting followed by two 25 point hikes. (4)Initial jobless claims had been slowly rising, but were about 5,000 applications lower last week. The Labor Department says they fell to a total of 256,000. Ongoing claims were also lower. They were down 25,000 to 1.36 million. (5)On to the housing market…New home sales fell to their lowest level since the pandemic began. They were down 8.1% in June to a seasonally-adjusted rate of 590,000. The year-over-year drop is 17.4%. Many consumers can't afford a high-priced home combined with a higher mortgage rate. The median sales price of a new home was $402,400 in May. (6)Pending home sales for existing homes also tumbled in June. According to the National Association of Realtors, they were down 8.6% for the month and 20% year-over-year. As MarketWatch reports, potential home buyers are spooked by high home prices and inflation in general, higher mortgage rates, and talk of a recession. NAR's Chief Economist Lawrence Yun says that buying a home in June of this year was 80% more expensive than it was in 2019. (7)*But home price growth has started to slow down. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index shows a year-over-year price growth of 19.7%. That's down from 20.6% in April. (8) Keep in mind that the Case Schiller index is a lagging indicator, and a lot has changed in the market since May. As for consumer thoughts on the economy…The Conference Board reports that confidence levels fell for a third month in a row to a reading of 95.7. Economists like to say that consumer spending is still robust, but the International Monetary Fund says that's at higher income levels. One member of the Conference Board, Lynn Franco, says that consumers will likely face “headwinds” over the next six months as they deal with inflation and additional rate hikes. (9) A survey on consumer sentiment by the University of Michigan shows similar results. It was up slightly at the end of July but is still near the lowest level on record. (10)Mortgage RatesMortgage rates are falling as home buyers sit on the sidelines. Freddie Mac says the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was down 24 basis points last week to 5.3%. The 15-year was down 17 points to 4.58%. (11)In other news making headlines...Will the Latest Rate Hike Impact Mortgages?The Fed's rate-hiking plan has created concern that mortgage rates will continue to move higher. The two are not directly related, although higher short-term rates often do influence mortgage rates. But NAR's Lawrence Yun doesn't think mortgage rates will move much higher this year. He says: “The long-term bond market on which mortgage rates are generally priced has mostly priced in all future actions by the Fed and may have already peaked with the 10-year Treasury shooting up 3.5% in mid-June.” (12)He feels that the 30-year fixed will settle down at 5.5 to 6% for the rest of the year. That's it for today. Check the show notes for links.If you'd like more news on the housing market, please go to newsforinvestors.com and check on other podcasts you may have missed. You'll also find hundreds of webinars and articles on the housing market at our website. If you haven't joined RealWealth, you can sign up for free. That will give you access to our investor portal where you'll find details on specific single-family rental markets.And please remember to hit the subscribe button, and leave a review!Thanks for listening. I'm Kathy Fettke.Links:1 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fed-hikes-rates-by-0-75-percentage-points-and-signals-more-hikes-coming-11658944875?mod=home-page2 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/coming-up-pce-inflation-and-consumer-spending-11659096833?mod=economic-report3 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/coming-up-u-s-gdp-11659010141?mod=economy-politics4 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/was-feds-powell-dovish-or-not-4-key-takeaways-from-todays-press-conference-11658965985?mod=federal-reserve5 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-jobless-claims-retreat-after-hitting-highest-level-in-eight-months-11659012115?mod=economic-report6 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-new-home-sales-fall-in-june-to-the-lowest-level-since-the-pandemic-11658845189?mod=mw_latestnews7 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-pending-home-sales-tumble-in-june-11658930424?mod=mw_latestnews8 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-home-prices-slip-in-may-from-record-high-in-prior-month-case-shiller-11658840473?mod=economic-report9 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-consumer-confidence-declines-for-third-straight-month-in-june-11658845555?mod=bnbh_mwarticle10 -https://www.marketwatch.com/story/consumers-pessimistic-about-inflation-and-the-economy-sentiment-poll-shows-11659104044?mod=economic-report11 -https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms12 -https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2022/07/28/2nd-historic-fed-rate-hike-unlikely-to-further-damage-mortgage-borrowers

Dan Genter, CEO and CIO of RNC Genter Capital Management, discusses the markets and the economy in 2022. Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at The Conference Board, talks about monthly consumer confidence data. Greg King, CEO of Osprey Funds, talks about investing in ETFs and crypto ETFs. Katerina Simonetti, Senior VP at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, talks about the markets and investment strategies in 2022. Hosted by Paul Sweeney and Katie Greifeld. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® increased in March 2022. While the highest recorded figure of consumers say jobs are plentiful, their expectations declined. Join this podcast with Conference Board Chief Economist Dana Peterson and Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators as they discuss key drivers of these expectations, how consumers can be more optimistic going forward, and what makes The Conference Board survey different from others that are showing a weakening in consumer confidence.  

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® dipped in February following a decline in January. President & CEO, Steve Odland and Senior Director of Economic Indicators, Lynn Franco, discuss the decline and consumer's easing expectations regarding the economy and job growth. They also reveal what has been the pillar of support for consumer confidence.

Ellen Zentner, Morgan Stanley Chief US Economist, talks about the upcoming FOMC meeting, the US economy, and inflation. Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at The Conference Board, breaks down monthly consumer confidence data. Hessam Nadji, CEO of Marcus & Millichap, talks about the real estate sector and hybrid work. Laura Modi, CEO and co-Founder of Bobbie – a female-founded infant formula company – talks about her business and its broader goals. Hosted by Paul Sweeney and Matt Miller. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® declined in January after three months of improvement. Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Chief Economist Dana Peterson discuss the key drivers of the decline as well as Omicron's effect on consumers' lives, and important factors to keep consumers optimistic going forward.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index improved in December 2021, following an upward revision in November. Please join and listen to this podcast as Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Chief Economist Dana Peterson discuss key drivers of this increase and what consumers are saying about the new Omicron variant.  

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® fell in November. The delta variant took the backseat while rising prices took the lead in consumer's concerns.  Please join and listen to this podcast as Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Chief Economist Dana Peterson discuss other key drivers of this decline and what is expected going forward.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® declined again in September, following decreases in both July and August. The Index now stands at 109.3 (1985=100), down from 115.2 in August. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions—fell to 143.4 from 148.9 last month. The Expectations Index—based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—fell to 86.6 from 92.8.  Listen to this podcast as Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Chief Economist Dana Peterson discuss how the Delta variant appears to be impacting consumers – making them more cautious with their spending going forward.

Elissa Sangster, Forté Foundation CEO, discusses research into MBA alumni career outcomes and the gender pay gap. Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at the Conference Board, talks monthly CCI results. Michael McKee, International Economics & Policy Correspondent for Bloomberg News, discusses the Fed testimony. Lee Klaskow, Senior Transport, Logistics, and Shipping Analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses the latest global supply chain issues. Hosted by Paul Sweeney and Kailey Leinz. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie Nixon, CIO of Northern Trust Wealth Management, discusses investor takeaways from Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium. Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at the Conference Board, talks CCI data. Yoni Assia, CEO at eToro, discusses the crypto market. Sam Dunlap, Chief Investment Officer of Public Strategies for Angel Oak Capital Advisors, talks about the housing market. Hosted by Paul Sweeney and Matt Miller. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® was relatively unchanged in July, following gains in each of the prior five months. The Index now stands at 129.1 (1985=100), up from 128.9 in June. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions—rose from 159.6 to 160.3. The Expectations Index—based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—was virtually unchanged at 108.4, compared to 108.5 last month.  Please join and listen to this podcast as Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Chief Economist Dana Peterson discuss consumers' optimism for the short term and how that will impact the US economy as we head into autumn of 2022.

Robert Langreth, Healthcare Reporter for Bloomberg News, discusses his Big Take story: "Covid Delivers an Unsettling Reality Check to the World." Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at the Conference Board, talks about the latest CCI data. William Cai, Co-Founder and Partner of Wilshire Phoenix, discusses the commodity market. Allison Poliniak-Cusic, Director of Equity Research, Transportation and Industrial Technology for Wells Fargo Securities, talks UPS earnings. Hosted by Paul Sweeney and Matt Miller. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® improved further in June, following gains in each of the previous four months. The Index now stands at 127.3 (1985=100), up from 120.0 (an upward revision) in May. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions—rose from 148.7 to 157.7. The Expectations Index—based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—improved to 107.0, up from 100.9 last month. Join and listen to this podcast as Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Chief Economist Dana Peterson discuss consumers' new optimism for the short-term – and how that will impact the economy going forward.

Anders Gustafsson, Head of Volvo Americas Region, and President and CEO of Volvo Car USA, on their new parental leave program, impact from the chip shortage, EVs and new Polestar 1. David Field, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Audacy, formerly Entercom, on the company’s rebrand, and why sports betting and podcasting will drive growth. Sri Natarajan, senior finance reporter for Bloomberg, on the fallout from the Archegos Capital blow-up and liquidation. Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at The Conference Board, and Carl Riccadonna, Chief US Economist for Bloomberg Economics, on the March Consumer Confidence Index, and increased growth outlook. Hosted by Paul Sweeney and Matt Miller.

The just released Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®  improved moderately in January 2021 after decreasing in December. While consumers appraisal of present-day conditions did weaken in January due to ongoing COVID concerns, their expectations for the economy and jobs advanced, suggesting that consumers foresee conditions improving soon. Join this podcast with Conference Board Chief Economist Dana Peterson and Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators to understand the story behind the numbers and what our experts foresee for the early months of 2021.

The just released Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® declined slightly in October, after increasing sharply in September.  While consumers’ assessment of current conditions improved, expectations declined due to the short-term job outlook. Join this podcast with Conference Board Chief Economist Dana Peterson and Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators to understand the story behind the numbers and what our experts foresee for the final months of 2020.

Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at The Conference Board, discusses the October Consumer Confidence Index. Ira Jersey, Chief US interest rate strategist for Bloomberg Intelligence, talks about supply and the Libor transition. John Authers, Bloomberg Markets Senior Editor, walks through his column "Covid Fear Is Back and Driving Markets Again." And Jeylan Mammadova, Global Sector Lead for Healthcare at Third Bridge, shares earnings insights on top pharma firms Pfizer, Merck, Sanofi and GSK. Hosts: Vonnie Quinn and Paul Sweeney. Producer: Doni Holloway.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index sees its biggest rise this month since 2011, yet still remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels. The index reveals consumers are less pessimistic about the short-term outlook, but fear an uneven and uncertain economic recovery amid virus concerns. Join Chief Economist Bart van Ark, and Senior Director of Economic Indicators, Lynn Franco, as they discuss the monthly numbers.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index weakened considerably in April, following a steep decline in March. Join Chief Economist Bart van Ark, and  Senior Director of Economic Indicators, Lynn Franco, as they discuss the monthly numbers and a surprising improvement in consumers’ short-term outlook.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply in March 2020, led by a nearly 20-point decline in the Expectations Index—among the largest one-month drops ever. Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators, explains how the rapid intensification of COVID-19 has fueled widespread uncertainty on the economy and jobs, and why March’s numbers are in line with a severe contraction—rather a temporary shock—and further declines are sure to follow. The Conference Board COVID-19 forecasts and analysis Listen on Apple Podcasts  Listen on Google Podcasts

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index ticked up slightly in February, with further strengthening of expectations offsetting a pullback in consumers’ assessment of present conditions. The bottom line: American consumers remain historically confident—with their spending likely to drive continued economic growth through the first half of 2020. Could the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak—which escalated globally after our February survey closed—grow into the “black swan” that finally disrupts years of positive trends?      Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators, explores the epidemic’s latest signals and downside risks—and explains how long the good times for consumers can continue as we approach November in an election year.   Listen on Apple Podcasts  Listen on Google Podcasts

The threat of trade wars has receded, but the coronavirus outbreak has added a new level of uncertainty to the global economic outlook. Will its effects be temporary, short term or beyond? Will its impact on China, the world’s second largest economy, reverberate across the globe? “Generally, the history of prior shocks has led to significant short-term effects, but no long-lasting impact,” says Bart van Ark, The Conference Board’s Global Chief Economist. Will this outbreak be different? In this timely podcast, Ataman Ozyildirim, Senior Director, Economics & Global Research Chair, chats with a panel of experts at The Conference Board, including: Bart van Ark, Chief Economist; Yuan Gao, Senior Economist at the China Center; Jun Tan, Associate Economist; Lynn Franco, Senior Director, Economic Indicators.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® (CCI) strengthened further in January 2020. At 131.6 (1985=100), the top-line index is back within sight of all-time highs approached last summer. With the trade conflicts and minor recession scares of 2019 largely behind us, expect the American consumer to be the unchallenged driver of economic growth through the first half of 2020—a full decade into the current expansion.   Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators, breaks down the forces behind this remarkable resilience. Then, she dives into the CCI's special relevance in presidential election years—including two distinct methods by which our data has predicted the reelection chances of incumbents. (Spoiler alert: The two approaches currently disagree on President Trump's chances.) Listen on Apple Podcasts  Listen on Google Podcasts The generational confidence gap by Dion Rabouin, AxiosThe Atlantic: How Capitalism Broke Young Adulthood by Derek Thompson, The Atlantic

Dr. Win Thin, Global Head of Currency Strategy for Brown Brothers Harriman, discusses global currencies and what to expect from the dollar in 2020. Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at The Conference Board, breaks down the December Consumer Confidence Index. Frank Holmes, CEO and Chief Investment Officer for US Global Investors, shares his year-end outlook on gold and oil.; Hosted by Lisa Abramowicz and Paul Sweeney.

Nela Richardson, investment strategist at Edward Jones, talks about the stock market at record highs. Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board, on U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly falling to a four-month low. Ted Smith, President of Union Square Advisors on the IPO market.

Bloomberg Intelligence U.S. Rates Strategist Ira Jersey looks ahead to Fed decision. Bloomberg Opinion Columnist Shira Ovide previews Apple earnings. The Conference Board’s Lynn Franco on consumer confidence rising in July.  Miller Tabak equity strategist Matt Maley on stock market near record highs

Max Nisen, Bloomberg Opinion health care columnist, on AbbVie buying Botox maker Allergan for $63 billion. CoinShares Chairman Danny Masters discusses the bitcoin rally and Facebook's new Libra cryptocurrency. Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators and Surveys at The Conference Board, discusses how trade and tariffs worries are draining consumer confidence.  Hal Brands, the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University and a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, discusses Trump mulling ending the postwar defense pact with Japan. Hosted by Lisa Abramowicz and Paul Sweeney.

The Conference Board started the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) in 1967. In February 2009, at the nadir of the financial crisis, the Index reached an all-time low of 25.3 points (1985=100). Over the next decade, an arduous recovery littered with false starts and temporary reversals slowly took root to produce a historic expansion. By October 2018, consumer confidence had climbed to 137.9—just points away from the all-time high reached in 2000.    Since then, however, things have become murkier and more volatile. After a 7.3-point drop in March 2019, consumer confidence now stands at 124.1. Consumers’ appraisal of the present situation has taken an especially big hit. Is this an expected moderation or an early warning of impeding recession? Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators and surveys, examines the evidence. Indications 2.7 Reading List The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®

Brad Williams addresses U.S. Consumer Confidence Jumps as Current Views Hit 18-Year High U.S. consumer confidence improved in February, topping all forecasts and snapping a three-month losing streak, after the U.S. government ended the longest shutdown in the country’s history and the trade war edged toward a resolution. The confidence index climbed to 131.4 from 121.7, the New York-based Conference Board said in a report Tuesday. That compared with a Bloomberg survey of economists that called for a rise to 124.9. The measure gauging Americans’ views on present conditions rose to an 18-year high while consumer expectations posted the largest monthly gain since 2011. The increase comes amid a solid job market and a rally in stocks that have offered consumers reasons to look past uncertainty surrounding the longest-ever government shutdown and trade war with China. The Federal Reserve’s pledge to be patient on raising interest rates may also be supporting the economic outlook. The gauge is in line with other sentiment indicators for February that show Americans are more upbeat. The University of Michigan’s sentiment reboundedfrom a two-year low and topped projections, while the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort expectations measure also snapped back, posting the biggest jump in a decade. Official’s View “Consumers continue to view both business and labor market conditions favorably,” Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at the Conference Board, said in a statement. “Expectations, which had been negatively impacted in recent months by financial market volatility and the government shutdown, recovered.” The share of respondents saying business conditions will be better in six months increased to the best level since November. The labor differential, which measures the gap between respondents who say jobs are plentiful and those saying they’re hard to get, climbed to an 18-year high, a sign the labor market remains strong. Buying plans for cars, homes and major appliances all declined.

Brad Williams addresses U.S. Consumer Confidence Jumps as Current Views Hit 18-Year High U.S. consumer confidence improved in February, topping all forecasts and snapping a three-month losing streak, after the U.S. government ended the longest shutdown in the country’s history and the trade war edged toward a resolution. The confidence index climbed to 131.4 from 121.7, the New York-based Conference Board said in a report Tuesday. That compared with a Bloomberg survey of economists that called for a rise to 124.9. The measure gauging Americans’ views on present conditions rose to an 18-year high while consumer expectations posted the largest monthly gain since 2011. The increase comes amid a solid job market and a rally in stocks that have offered consumers reasons to look past uncertainty surrounding the longest-ever government shutdown and trade war with China. The Federal Reserve’s pledge to be patient on raising interest rates may also be supporting the economic outlook. The gauge is in line with other sentiment indicators for February that show Americans are more upbeat. The University of Michigan’s sentiment reboundedfrom a two-year low and topped projections, while the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort expectations measure also snapped back, posting the biggest jump in a decade. Official’s View “Consumers continue to view both business and labor market conditions favorably,” Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at the Conference Board, said in a statement. “Expectations, which had been negatively impacted in recent months by financial market volatility and the government shutdown, recovered.” The share of respondents saying business conditions will be better in six months increased to the best level since November. The labor differential, which measures the gap between respondents who say jobs are plentiful and those saying they’re hard to get, climbed to an 18-year high, a sign the labor market remains strong. Buying plans for cars, homes and major appliances all declined.

Shira Ovide, Bloomberg Opinion technology columnist, on Trump tweeting that Google rigs its search results to display only negative stories about him. Jim Paulsen, Chief Investment Strategist at The Leuthold Group, on markets, current investment strategy, and why this bull market is now "capacity-challenged." Joe Nocera, Bloomberg Opinion columnist, on why President Trump's Mexico deal reveals another deficit. Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators at the Conference Board, and Yelena Shulyatyeva, Senior US Economist for Bloomberg Economics, on August Consumer Confidence data.

American consumers are feeling as upbeat about the state of the economy and their own job prospects as they have at any time since the Great Recession. Will this increased confidence translate into freer spending habits over the next year? Further afield, how are those habits being transformed by the aging of the U.S. population? On this episode of Indications, Gad Levanon, Chief Economist for North America and Lynn Franco, Director of Indicators and Surveys, discuss the short- and long-term factors driving purchasing behavior. They break down the post-election bounce in our Consumer Confidence Index, then turn to the question posed by our latest demographic research: What industries other than health care will be boosted by a growing 65+ population? Where will new retirement destinations take root? And how do economics account for changing demographics and differences in generational tastes when forecasting future demand for iPhones? Reading List: The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index (released last Tuesday each month) The Impact of Demographic Trends on Consumer Spending by Gad Levanon, Brian Anderson, Ben Cheng, and Frank Steemers (member report) "Locating the Next Myrtle Beach: Retirement Destinations and Workforce Planning" by Gad Levanon (blog)

Stephen Schork, president of the Schork Group, talks to Pimm Fox about the oil and gas markets. Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators of the Conference Board, gives an overview of the December consumer confidence index report. Chiara Albanese, a Rome-based markets reporter for Bloomberg, discusses the ECB saying Monte di Paschi needs $9.2 billion in capital. Finally, David Glickman, CEO of Ultra Mobile, discusses his company, which provides a SIM card-based, international wireless service that can be individually customized.

Pimm Fox and Lisa Abramowicz talk to Lynn Franco, the director of economic indicators at the Conference Board, about the latest reading of consumer confidence, which reached the highest level since July 2007. Then, Bloomberg News reporter Annmarie Hordern and Rich Pantillo, a senior advisory services analyst at Nasdaq Corporate Solutions, discuss the talks between OPEC producers about freezing or cutting oil output. Also, Chris Ailman, the CIO at the California State Teachers' Retirement System, questions the worth of active management in retirement. Finally, Kathleen Sebelius, the former secretary of Health and Human Services, discusses Donald Trump's appointment of Tom Price to her former position.