On Thursday, US retail investors’ sentiment reached a 12-month high, according to one survey. While the S&P 500 rose by 0.03 percent in early trading, the Nasdaq Composite fell by 0.05 percent and the Dow Jones lost 0.08 percent. Despite these inconsistent results among the main stock indexes, consumer confidence in the US remains high, with Michigan’s confidence index hitting 79.4 in March, beating economists’ estimates. This is the highest reading since July 2021.
Investor confidence has also improved significantly, with half of respondents to a recent survey expressing optimism about stock market developments over the next six months. Additionally, pending U.S. housing transactions rose by 1.6 percent in February from January, indicating positive signs for real estate growth in the country. As a result of these factors and others not mentioned here, there are positive indicators for consumer and investor confidence in the US moving forward into April and beyond.”