On Thursday, the main stock indices saw mixed results. Despite the positive sentiment among US retail investors, which is currently at near 12-month highs, according to a survey, the S&P 500 index was only up 0.03 percent after the start of trading. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.05 percent and the Dow Jones was down 0.08 percent.
Consumer confidence in the United States 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. Investor confidence has also improved, with half of respondents in a recent survey expressing optimism about the stock market’s development over the next six months.
Despite these positive indicators, there were some signs of weakness in other areas. Pending housing transactions in the USA increased by only 1.6 percent in February compared to January, and the Chicago purchasing managers’ index fell below expectations, scoring 41.4 in March. However, moving forward, there are still positive signs for US consumer and investor confidence, as well as growth in the housing market.
Overall, while there were some mixed results on Thursday for US stocks and other economic indicators