The pandemic has broken a closely followed survey of sentiment
Americans’ opinions about the state of the economy have diverged from reality
Americans are gloomy about the state of the economy. Since the covid-19 pandemic began, consumer sentiment has been in the doldrums, hitting its lowest level ever in June 2022. Such negativity has prompted claims that the country is suffering a “vibecession”—although the market appears healthy, good vibes are lacking.
This article appeared in the Graphic detail section of the print edition under the headline “Bad vibrations”
Chart sources: University of Michigan; FRED; The Economist
From the September 9th 2023 edition
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