The gloom about the economy is lifting
Consumer expectations for the future are turning positive, showing the most improvement since the recession began — even in Florida, one of the hardest hit states. 
Rising home sales, stock market gains and no economic setbacks on the horizon have lifted consumer spirits, according to a University of Florida survey.
The index of Florida’s consumer confidence rose three points to 70 in August. It was the first increase since April.
“We are not out of this recession yet, particularly here in Florida, but things are not nearly as bad as they were a year ago,” said Chris McCarty, survey director of the university’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research.
Nationwide, the Conference Board said its consumer confidence index rose to 54.1 from 47.4 in July, The Associated Press reported. For the previous two months, the index had declined.
Harriet Johnson Brackey, the personal finance columnist for the Sun Sentinel, is an award-winning business reporter. Her columns for 2008 were named "The Best in the Business," a national award chosen by her colleagues at the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.
Comments
WAIT TIL ALL THE FORECLOSURES HIT AND COMMERCIAL REALESTATE NEEDS TO RENEW MORTGAGES...AND MORE AND MORE BANKS BEING TAKEN OVER BY FDIC EVERYDAY..THINGS ARE NOT GETTING BETTER WHEN 15 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION UNEMPLOYED..WHICH MATCHES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE UNINSURED.WONDER IF THATS A COINCIDENCE...SO MAYBE IF THE PRESIDENT CREATED JOBS EVERYBODY WOULD BE INSURED
Posted by: LOU | August 26, 2009 2:26 PM
Where do people get this information? Housing is flat when you consider the number of deals closed to the number of homes available, which would be a much better indicator of the situation. Unemployment is holding it's own for the most part, which indicates that although people aren;t losing jobs, there are no new jobs being offered. The cash for clunkers may have helped car dealers, but will the people be able to make the new payments?
Give me a break, we are just skirting the issue to give people a false sense of improvement.
Posted by: itzme4now | August 26, 2009 7:14 PM
The timing is perfect because the economy now needs to enter the inflation phase. The good news reporting is masking the fact that gasoline is steadily rising again and the retail discounts we saw before are now starting to dry up. Property taxes are going up as well now.
It's like all the reports about the banks a few months ago making record profits.
People were so suprised yet seem to have forgotten that people carrying a balance had their minimums go up, their interest rates jacked up and their balances lowered. Those with no balances had their credit limits dropped.
Buckle up!!!!!
Posted by: FRANKIE | August 26, 2009 8:49 PM
I wonder how long any recovery will last when gas prices go back up and when China stops financing our budget. Before long all of the taxes we send the government will go for interest.... yes it is sunny in D.C.
Posted by: SAVANT | August 27, 2009 7:45 AM
Grasping at straws are we Sun Sentinel? This newspaper which master-bates at the mere thought of Barack Obama, is determined to make you think things are getting better just to put a little polish on their Manchurian candidate. The bottom line is that the stimulus package has done squat except to increase the federal deficit and erode the dollar. No matter how much lipstick you put on it Sun Slantinal,its still a crappy economy. Soon to become a crappy economy with a high inflation rate. I predict a complete overhaul of congress in 2010 and the failure Obama going home to Chicago in 2013.
Posted by: olga fugusev | August 27, 2009 4:15 PM
This is totally not true...we haven't seen the worst of it yet...bad info.
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