Here’s Why Consumer Sentiment Is at Record Lows
While much commentary focuses on the rising cost of living and the potential disruption of jobs by AI, these miss the larger dynamic of visibility, i.e. what is visible looking forward. If the horizon is clouded by uncertainty and unaffordability, then the core investments in the future–a family home and a family–are no longer in reach.
The truth few dare to recognize is there is no credible evidence that housing and having a family will return to being affordable for the majority in the foreseeable future.
It’s not just the cost of living is rising; the quality of life is deteriorating in ways that are not easily measurable.
Consumer sentiment is at record lows because there is zero visibility on any real-world trends that would be positive for the bottom 90%. Vague promises of super-abundance are not visibility.