Surge in US Retail Investor Optimism Boosts Stock Market, Despite Mixed Economic Signals

On Thursday, US retail investors expressed optimism about the stock market as their sentiment reached near 12-month highs. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index was up 0.03 percent after the start of trading, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.05 percent and the Dow Jones was down 0.08 percent.

The US consumer confidence is also at a strong level, with the Michigan confidence index scoring 79.4 in March, surpassing economists’ estimates. This is the highest reading since July 2021. Additionally, investor confidence has improved significantly, with half of respondents in a recent survey expressing optimism about the stock market’s development over the next six months.

Another positive indicator for US consumers and investors is the increase in pending housing transactions in February compared to January by 1.6 percent. However, there were signs of weakness in other areas, such as Chicago purchasing managers’ index that fell below expectations, scoring 41.4 in March. Despite this, overall indicators suggest that there will be growth in both consumer and investor confidence as well as a positive trend in housing market.[