By Dees Stribling | MHN Online
Do month-over-month movements in consumer confidence mean much? Maybe, or maybe not. Like any monthly indicator, they’re prone to froth, and consumers in particular react to transitory events—or perhaps overreact. Even so, when the indicator moves a lot suddenly, something might be up with the economy, and certain kinds of CRE landlords, such as retail owners, would do well to pay a little attention. There hasn’t been any one single shock to the system in the last few weeks to set consumers on edge, but even so the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, which had improved in June, declined in July.
