The indexes peaked last year as the stock market marched to record highs, and despite the recent pullback, they remain at historically elevated levels. But upward swings in sentiment do not necessarily translate into increased spending and economic growth. The economy, for instance, remained sluggish for more than a year after consumer and business confidence jumped in the months after the 2016 election. Such indexes are also sensitive to short-term moves in the stock market and political developments that have little effect on spending. Economic confidence recovered in a poll conducted in early February for The New York Times by the online research firm SurveyMonkey.

Source: New York Times February 13, 2019 22:07 UTC