
Consumers got a little less optimistic toward the end of March but remained firmly in happy territory. CNBC reports:
The University of Michigan's report on consumer attitudes about the economy inched down to 101.4 at the end of March. Reuters economists expected the reading to remain at 102, the same as the prior March reading when the index shot up from 99.7 at the end of February.
The index dipped slightly lower at the end of March due to uncertainty about the impact of the proposed trade tariffs, according to the report. Concerns with trade policies offset positive reactions to recent tax reform legislation.
Consumers also anticipate interest rates increasing in the foreseeable future, slowing future economic growth.