On Thursday, the main stock indices were quoted inconsistently. Sentiment among US retail investors is near 12-month highs, according to the survey.
The general index S&P 500 was up 0.03 percent after the start of trading, while the more technology-focused Nasdaq Composite was down 0.05 percent. The Dow Jones was down 0.08 percent.
Consumer confidence in the United States is now at a stronger level than it has been in years. The score of the Michigan confidence index was 79.4 in March, while economists estimated it to have been 76.5 in line with February. The latest reading is the highest since July 2021, the news agency Bloomberg reported.
Investor confidence has also improved. According to the AA II survey, which describes the sentiment of private investors, half of the respondents had a positive view of the development of the stock market for the next six months.
The number is close to the year’s 12-month highs, where 53 percent of respondents were optimistic about the stock market’s development. The historical average is 38 percent.
On the other hand, pending housing transactions in the USA grew by 1.6 percent in February from January.
However, the US Chicago purchasing managers’ index fell short of expectations. The score of the index was 41.4, while economists estimated it to have been 46.0 in March. In February it was 44.0.