While retail sales missed estimates, they still increased in July for the 4th consecutive month. It appears US consumers are not hesitating to spend and with back-to-school spending on the horizon, followed by the holidays (they’re almost here already… yikes!), I would be surprised to see any major hiccups in consumption for the remainder of 2013.
Here are some articles that help to build on this optimistic outlook I currently have:
- Banks are back to lending (Forbes)
- Citi is bullish (ValueWalk)
- Bulls without corrections (The Big Picture)
- Small Business optimism heating up (Calculated Risk)
Also, check out this great article/graphic that Calculated Risk put up over the weekend on the long-term projections of age distribution among US residents:
- US Age Distribution 1900-2060 (Calculated Risk)
By the end of the graphic, the baby boomer generation doesn’t look all that daunting. However, I’m sure there are actuaries out there much smarter than I am who will beg to differ.