Consumers Say They Are Pessimistic. Their Spending Trends Suggest the Opposite.
1. Consumer sentiment declines amid tariff and labor market concerns. 2. Higher-income consumers drive spending growth despite sentiment disparity. 3. Middle- and lower-income households show strong savings but face wage stagnation. 4. Job switchers receive smaller pay increases than previous years. 5. Retail spending growth may be temporary due to promotional events.