Markets
Consumer Sentiment Sits at Record Lows as Goldman Points to 'Lower Happiness'
The economy looks fine on paper. The people in it do not feel fine, and Goldman Sachs argues that gap is the story.
Lena Fischer · September 20, 2026
Markets
Market analysis focused where household money meets financial markets: retailer and consumer goods equities, mortgage and deposit rates, currency effects on imported goods, and agricultural and energy commodities. Aimed at investors in consumer sectors and at analysts translating market moves into household consequences.
Market analysis focused where household money meets financial markets: retailer and consumer goods equities, mortgage and deposit rates, currency effects on imported goods, and agricultural and energy commodities. Aimed at investors in consumer sectors and at analysts translating market moves into household consequences.
Markets
Core CPI Rose 2.5% Year Over Year in July
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' core inflation gauge, which excludes food and energy, climbed 0.2% for the month and 2.5% from a year earlier in the July 2026 report.
Valentina Sokolov · August 23, 2026
Markets
How the Consumer Price Index Turns 80,000 Prices Into One Number
The BLS combines roughly 80,000 monthly price quotes with Consumer Expenditure Survey weights to produce the CPI, which rose 0.1% in July 2026 as core inflation climbed 0.2%.
Valentina Sokolov · August 20, 2026
Markets
Credit Spreads as a Recession Indicator
The gap between corporate bond yields and Treasuries prices default risk — and widening credit spreads have called downturns the equity market missed.
Valentina Sokolov · July 27, 2026
Markets
What the Put-Call Ratio Signals
Volume in puts divided by volume in calls is sentiment in one number — and it is a contrarian indicator at the extremes, when there is no one left to convert.
Valentina Sokolov · July 5, 2026