Consumer Confidence To Remain Range Bound, Despite Friday’s Marginal Improvement

Despite Friday’s better than anticipated confidence number it’s unlikely the
index can show sustained gains until initial jobless claims move well below
current levels.   As the attached chart highlights, in 2009, as claims began to
fall, confidence began to rise off of crisis lows.  However, since the start of
2010 this trend came to an abrupt halt.  Both indices have since traded in a
relatively confined range with claims remaining north of levels indicative of
sustained job growth.  What’s shaping up to be a jobless recovery will weigh on confidence impacting everything from retail to home sales over the months ahead.  Additionally, mundane income growth, which has primarily been bolstered through increasing government transfer payments—set to slow over the months ahead—could put additional pressure on confidence without significant, albeit doubtful, gains in private pay over the near-term.