CORPORATE CRIME ISN'T FAZING CONSUMERS. YET

摘要

The U. S. economy has always been characterized as a market-driven enterprise. Right now, the designation is more appropriate than usual. That's because two markets―stock and labor―will be critical in driving future consumer spending and, thus, the economy as a whole. What worries some economists is that the stock and labor markets will drive the recovery right into the ground. Consumers could hold back in the second half, a result of their disillusionment with the stock market and jitters about a weakening labor market. Bear in mind that consumers have been the wellspring of demand over the past year, both through their purchases of goods and services and by their willingness to buy houses. If households reduce their spending, the recovery will struggle in coming quarters.