Since the election of President-elect Donald Trump, the economy has been booming with optimism and it looks like it’s only up from here!
American consumers are spending like never before and small business owners are anxious and excited for the new year.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index climbed to 113.7 in December, up from 109.4 in November and the highest since it reached 114 in August 2001. It’s another sign consumers are confident in the aftermath of a divisive election campaign.
The index measures consumers’ assessment of current conditions, which dipped from November but was still very positive, and their expectations for the future, which hit a 13-year high.
Trump acknowledged the incredible surge in a tweet Monday:
The U.S. Consumer Confidence Index for December surged nearly four points to 113.7, THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN 15 YEARS! Thanks Donald!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2016
Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board, said the “post-election surge in optimism” was strongest among older Americans.
The U.S. economy grew at a 3.5 percent annual pace from July to September, fastest in two years. Unemployment is at a nine-year low of 4.6 percent. Employers have added 180,000 jobs a month this year, down from an average 229,000 in 2015 but still solid.
Economists monitor consumers’ mood closely because their spending accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic output.
“The election of Donald Trump has raised household expectations for the economy to a very high level,” Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont Securities, wrote in a research note. “It remains to be seen whether Trump can deliver,” but the burst in confidence could drive consumer spending higher.
Trump recognized his contribution to the booming economy:
The world was gloomy before I won – there was no hope. Now the market is up nearly 10% and Christmas spending is over a trillion dollars!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2016
And small business owners are cheering about the increased spending by Americans and the positive changes they look forward to from a Trump economy.
Dean Bingham says he’s cautiously optimistic because business picked up at his auto repair shop after the election — people who had put off fixing their cars have decided it’s time to get them serviced.
“Over the last month, customers have been coming in with optimism that they didn’t have the last few years,” says Bingham, owner of a Mr. Transmission/Milex franchise in Greenville, South Carolina.
The shop has been so busy Bingham’s looking to hire a seventh employee to help out in the front while he works on cars.
While many business owners are more confident because their revenue looks to increase in 2017 due to the overall improving economy, they’re also optimistic because they expect Trump to deliver on promises to lower taxes and roll back regulations including parts of the health care law.
Business owners were considerably more optimistic about 2017 in a survey taken shortly after the election. Forty-six percent of the 600 questioned in the Wells Fargo survey said the operating environment for their companies would improve next year; that compares to 30 percent two years ago, after the last congressional elections. Just over half the owners said actions that Trump and Congress will take next year will make their companies better off.
“The election does give me more optimism than I would have had otherwise,” says Kurt Steckel, CEO of Bison Analytics, which does software consulting. Bison’s inquiries from prospective clients, small companies that are looking to expand, have nearly doubled since the election.
Steckel is also upbeat about an overhaul of the health care law. He says the cost of his small group insurance rose sharply when the law went into effect, and he had to stop offering coverage to his 10 staffers. He says if insurance were to become more affordable, he’d restore coverage.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Long Life to President Trump!
Croatian people are with you and will call you OUR PRESIDENT, means CROATIAN PRESIDENT.
SCOTTISH PEOPLE ALSO BACK TRUMP. It is too bad that we presently have a communist leader called Nicola Sturgeon who is against just about everything that Mr. Trump stands for. I predict that Donald Trump will become America’s best President EVER–and that the useless Nicola Sturgeon will soon be on the way down–and out!!
Jim Clarke
SCOTTISH PEOPLE ALSO SUPPORT TRUMP. He will be the best President ever. Already he is having a positive effect on the markets–and people are starting to be much more hopeful about the future, both in the USA and abroad. We have all had more than enough of so-called liberal elites and politicians talking down to us instead of listening to us.
Jim Clarke
Fully agree–Trump will be the best ever President of the USA
Jim Clarke
It isn’t Trump’s economy (just yet)…..if it roars…then thank Obama cause he is the reason for it…not Trump
No more than Obama was responsible for the disaster that George Bush left him….
boy your an idiot. Obama has broke us. we have no real factories here in America. Hillary sold 22% of our uranium and you don’t know what the hell your talking about. they were making us a third world country trump is making us strong again and stupid Obama put us 10 trillion in debt alone the other 10 trillion 3 other presidents caused that
Trump has not taken over yet so it is not Trump’s economy. Let’s see how many of his campaign promises he actually keeps and whether Congress approves his proposals. I would not hold my breath on lots of new manufacturing jobs
Hopefully Mr. Trump, Mr. Ryan, and all of the US business leaders can work together for a continued success. I can remember the business boom in the 1990s. Hopefully it happens again.
CT, you’re an idiot who doesn’t even know that “your” doesn’t equal “you’re”. Hillary sold nothing, you uneducated buffoon. Obama dug us out of Bush’s abyss and you nitwits blame him for getting us into debt. That is a result of Bush’s war being charged to Uncle Sam’s black Amex card and the bill coming due. Congress spent every waking hour trying to revoke the Affordable Care Act and making certain that Obama did not accomplish anything. Fortunately they failed on that last item. The economy is a tribute to his efforts and, if you are well-to-do and have invested wisely, you will benefit. If you’re poor, then with Trump you can count on remaining that way.
OracleGuy – good to hear the Oracle of the “Lunatic Left” is back and dispensing your usual B.S. – which is typical of the “Morons” of the Democratic party.
you are the idiot oracle the economy is in the dumps but it will come back under PE Trump. u better go read history on the ah in the white house n his hatred of this country. he is trying to destroy this land from the inside out. man ur are a total drongo, n so would the butcher of Benghazi had she gotten in. America the land of the cowards n the home of the slaves under either of those too buffoons. all the fraud In white house accomplished is to try to divide us n it aint working all the way. rite on u DEMORAT. emphasis on the word rat it fits u oracle
Oracle, if your BS was concrete,you would be a super highway.
Trump brought back 3companies now another is coming back saved a company from leaving and Boing is lowering its cos for planes all due to President Trump not President Obamo
Amen too that!!!! ovimit has done nothing but destroy our country. O’ ya, but if you like your doctor, you can keep him!!! right!
Don’t Debate Idiots (AKA Liberals)! It Does No Damn Good. Facts Mean Nothing To An Idiot. Idiots Will Go With The Race Card. Idiots Will Call You Names. They Lie, Cheat And Steal Just Because They Think They Can Get Away With It!
Lol , you’re kidding right ?
Sarcasm , lol , good post .
Obama accomplished nothing but caused a total deterioration in race relations , weakened the US economically , shall I go on ?
He also put a bullseye on the back of every cop in America by his rhetoric about racially motivated cops that in actuality at times , most of the time , made mistakes . Race rarely had anything to do with it .
Remember the auto industry collapse? He saved GM and Chrysler from Bankruptcy preserving jobs. Remember the banking crisis? Total bank meltdown prevented. Remember the stock market below 8000? Now above 20000
Yes, thanks to Obama many of us baby-boomers can now afford to retire.
OracleGuy – the only thing about that should be retired is your mouth – dipshit.
Billl he did not save jobs remember shovel ready jobs ? How about keeping your Dr. or lower cost? Or Bkack lives matter or the brotherhood visting the Whitehouse and Bill And Hillary did sellI to Russia 22 percent uranium
Yep! You are so right!
“The U.S. economy grew at a 3.5 percent annual pace from July to September, fastest in two years. Unemployment is at a nine-year low of 4.6 percent. Employers have added 180,000 jobs a month this year, down from an average 229,000 in 2015 but still solid.”
Yes I agree especially on all the above as printed in the same article. How does July to September 2016 become Trump’s economy?? Consumer confidence is up only on expectations and down on reality. It remains to be seen if Mr Trump really does have a magic wand. Until then it is all BS.
how many got OFF FOOD STAMPS HOW MANY???????
November 2016 that the annual pace as you put it has been 3.5%. Obama’s presidency is has the lowest “annual pace” in history, under his leadership the annual growth is barely 1.0%. Unemployment is down because millions of people have left the job market. How does $10 trillion more debt sound to you?
Tom-
i don’t think D’Owebama deserves much if any praise whatsoever, due to his fraud and treasonous behavior.
You are welcome to your opinion, but i certainly don’t have to like it. D’OweBama had 8 years to raise optimism, but certainly didn’t, especially not for those of his own color.
i also wonder what source The Horn is relying upon for employment statistics; it’s well-known that the USG has lied about them for DECADES, fudging the results by dropping from the count all who have used up their unemployment insurance.
I happen to agree with you in re: the point that it’s not Trump’s economy, yet; too many are jumping the gun. AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, gleeful talk about a booming economy, especially from “experts,” almost ALWAYS presages a massive bust in the boom and bust cycle. Anyone who gets too enthusiastic or overly optimistic at this point is a damn fool – maybe a damned one, too.
mr. tom brady you sir are an asshole plain and simple !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why would you call Tom Brady names he is a good person and you could be a good person so don’t call people ugly names because they think differently doom you
spoken like a true liberal
Tom – at least you have OracleGuy and others of your persuasion to run interference for you, but then again you “Liberal Morons” need someone to lead the way for you – you and OracleGuy both need a good ass wuping; although I doubt it would do any good other than making the wuper feel better. Maybe you both can slink off into the sunset and obscurity with Hillary the “Hun”, Slick Willie, Chelsey the “Dit”, O’bozo the “Big Eared” Clown and his rather ample a _ _ e d wife Michelle Ma Belle.
No moderation will be offered.
Tom Brady. I think it is time that you went back to the asylum and got some more medication. Clearly your brain is not functioning right and you badly need counselling and medication. I am sure that you had a very bad upbringing, and that it has left you mentally scarred. So be a good boy and go lie down in a very dark room with your medicine and your teddy bear! Off you go now.
The Doctor
Tom–I think it is long past your medication time. Go quickly to your mummy and ask her for your medicine. Your brain is clearly not functioning at all. The get back to the asylum–right now!!
Dr. MacDonald
We needed a business man capable of critical thought and common sense decisions . The self destructive policies of emotionally guilt ridden Leftists had this country on a path of self destruction both culturally and economically .
Even here in NJ where DEMS outnumber REPS by 2:1 , the motivation level to get out the vote for this man was tremendously high in the working middle class sector especially . We are tired of having to work harder for less and work more to support the flood of immigration who care not to assimilate and come here for a free ride . I think that free ride will becoming to an end soon . On January 20th , I think the ticket booth for that train ride will be put on notice .
If we needed a businessman capable of critical thought, we would have hired Bloomberg because he actually HAS proven successful. Uninformed voters have again voted contrary to their own best interest and will pay a price much higher than those of greater means.
Except for those who vote for the last 8 years.
Wait.
Is that the same Bloomberg who was sending SoS Liar emails? The one who was SPECIFICALLY FORBIDDEN from having any gov’t office by D’OweBama? The one who “declined” to run for the presidency, and instead endorsed a known liar, a criminal who destroyed subpoenaed evidence, who should be brought up on charges of depraved indifference or negligent homicide charges in the matter of Amb. Stevens and his stalwart defenders deaths? The one who committed dozens of flagrant criminal acts by cheating at the polls? THAT Bloomberg?
He didn’t want the presidency, and knew he couldn’t buy it, like he bought his NY mayor slots.
Unfortunately we didn’t have much choice in the election: narcissist Trump or criminal Hillary. At least now we might have a chance!
Bloomberg is a joke. What has he really done for NY?
OracleGuy – you need to examine the non record of your “Clown” in the White House – failures to numerous to mention, accomplishments -0- nice job if your an imbecile which I believe you both qualify as.
But wait. OBUMMER and his family will miss all the vacations o n taxpayer money.
God Bless, all so true. It was Gods Will & the people have spoken. Mr President Donald J. Trump will get her done I am sure. Already getting things done even before being sworn in. “GO MR TRUMP W/GODS SPEED SIR”.
Tom S. Prentzel in SW Florida
James you need medication because Tom Brady is a good man have a cup of coffee relax and only speak good of a person just because he thinks different than you do what believe In God and speak good eords
Ok, what NOW!?! i get “awaiting moderation” AGAIN? Will it be another 3 or 4 days before what i wrote gets through the screening?
Although the local liberals are moaning about the loss of hope, it appears that most people have overlooked their forecasts of doom. Donald Trump represents a glimmer of hope for many Americans that things are going to turn around. Rather than having a government that seeks to force a radical agenda on the people we will finally get a government that is going to deal with problems and make things better.
On election day the American people made a change that will finally bring hope to our nation.
At least Mr Trump or should I say PE Trump wasn’t bought by big money. Now Hillary has to either give the $$ back or figure out how she was going to give jobs to all those she promised…..
Well said. Donald HAS BROUGHT HOPE to both the USA and the world. Just wait–he will prove to the best Present since Abraham Lincoln. He will make the USA the best and the strongest country once again. Roll on the good times, and the sooner Obama, Clinton, idiot Carey etc.are all gone–the better.
Jim Clarke
With the election of Donald Trump there was white light at the end of the
tunnel which heretofore was all black.
How self absorbing of Barry 0 to believe he was successful as president. While in office the only light was in his mind. Psych couches were
kept busy. All is much improved with the return of the light of HOPE rather
than the dark of Despair that was BO.
All is well, just need to perk walk out obamba, Czars & House of Fools ASAP. May Jan 20th 2017 get here ASAP to reverse all nonsense items. The Dems, their machine promises the Moon but delivers “Zero”. Look at modern day Hiroshima Japan VS our inner cities. Dems mostly in full charge of them also. Whats up ???, these inner cities look like a Atom Bomb hit them. Countless decades have past, why don’t they improve ???. I believe fully is because the Dems just talk & promise things just to get votes then they forget it after the elections every time.W/ Mr President Donald J. Trump he has hopped up on the horse right after the election making great gains etc even before being sworn in. W/the thank you tours / rally’s Mr Trump is backing the the promises told on the campaign because he does not talk, he does what he says. “In Trump We TRUST”. I live in SW Florida & have been wearing the Trump T shirts since Aug & still now. 99% all good comments still. It was “Gods Will” & the People have spoken. Now I Pray we all can Unite ASAP & bring Sense & Order back to Gods/Jesus’s Earth.
May God Bless us all, everyone for “REAL”
Tom S. Prentzel, concerned citizen
Because of President Trump we now have religious Freedom little Sisters sued by Obamo now are free from the suit and the 2nd amendment is safe business is back and the economy will take off
This is all staged to tank really big.on the Donald’s watch. Watch for a 10 – 20% drop after he’s in charge. Could even be more.
GOT TO USE CRITICAL THINKING PEOPLE!! WERE SCREWED!! WHATS BELOW I JUST CHECKED!, HOPE AND CHANGE WAS JUST A NUMBERS GAME. NOT EVEN GOD WILL SAVE US BECAUSE GOD LOVES STUPID PEOPLE.
today the dow is at 19861.26 so since the bottom to today
Feb 1 2009 the dow was at – 7062.93
that’s a difference of 12798.33.
Yet 71% of the snow flakes are still with mommy and daddy.
46 million on food stamps.
Abe–what cave are you hiding in with your small laptop? I think that you have been smoking the “funny stuff” for far too long, and you have lost control of your thinking process. In plan English–or American–you are off your head, and badly need treatment. Go get help while you still can. Donald is the best. If you cannot see that–then there is no hope for you. Go and lie down–permanently!!
Senior Medical Consultant J. E. Laroche
Just the beginning of the “GOOD THINGS” to come.
4 companies are coming back 1was saved from leaving boing lowered its price for th planes and he has not been sworn in yet imaging how good the economy is going to be once he is on on January 20 Good things coming liberals do not give him credit with all he had done far while Obamo betrays Israel and graves land in 2 States
Hey, it’s’ silly to get angry at a comment..chances are, it’s probablly hillary and obama writing them because they are turning angry and scared like they have kept us for years, doped up, and sleep…now it is thier turn..
No one has to defend the truth….it stand on its own gut merits…”.WELCOME TO THE WINNING SIDE, LET US IDENTIFY AND CLAIM.”!!!
… AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING! MR. TRUMP HAS GIVEN US HOPE AGAIN INSTEAD OF LIVING IN ‘QUIET DESPERATION’ THESE PAST EIGHT YEARS. HE LOVES AMERICA. HE WANTS TO GIVE BACK. HE WANTS TO FIGHT FOR ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ – A NEW AND NOVEL IDEA FOR A PRESIDENT THESE DAYS.
GOD BLESS MR. TRUMP. GOD BLESS AMERICA AGAIN!
President elect Trump being a business man and a successful one to boot gives many Americans hope. Republicans and Democrats don’t want hope, they want to be in power and in charge of every little detail of our lives, the liberal left and the so called justice warriors just want something to complain about and to have their free ride and not have to work for anything. While the rest of us just want to work and support our families and ourselves, with a job that pays well enough to accomplish those goals.
Things are already looking better, far better than they have in quite some time. So we know the Republicans, the Democrats and the liberal left will not like it and will do everything within their power to disrupt it. Mr. Trump needs to do more than just drain the swamp in Washington DC, he needs to drain the hand out swamp, the media swamp and the biggest swamp of all, Liberalism.
Very well said, RJ. I am certain that Donald Trump will become the best American President since Abraham Lincoln. The USA will once again be the great and powerful country that it always was until people like Obama and Clinton etc. did their best to destroy it. A strong and successful USA is also great news for the world, as the world always does better when the USA has a strong economy. Roll on the good times again–and an end of poverty for so many Americans.
God Bless Donald
Jim Clarke
I always knew that it would be great for the USA if Trump could beat the establishment and the crook Clinton. Good to see that so many Americans see things the same way. I live in Scotland, and he has done a great deal of good here with his two world-class businesses. (Please ignore the negative comments that our idiot Scottish First Minister has made about Trump. She has had her day–and is on the way down and out!!)
Best wishes to ALL Americans–but particularly to those who have supported Donald Trump.
The election of Donald Trump is not just great news for the USA–but for the world. As the American economy is the largest in the world, it is good for everyone when the USA does well. In addition, it makes a lot of sense for Trump to try to be on much more friendly terms with Putin of Russia. Together they can achieve a lot that would never happen if they had a dislike of one another. It almost looks like Obama and Clinton are doing their best to start a war with Russia. That is a NO WIN situation for anyone. It is clear that Putin respects strength, and despises weakness. That is why you may have noticed that Putin was NOT AT ALL BOTHERED when a mischievous reporter tried to get him to talk against Trump by telling him that Trump was going to build up the American military. He (Putin) accepted that as normal, and indicated that Russia was already doing the same. The USA and Russia between them can control the REAL BAD BOYS of the world: i.e. places like North Korea and Iran who are the two most likely to start a world war. It is also good to see that Trump intends to be a lot more FAIR in his dealings with Israel. Obama (being a muslim) hated Israel, and was completely against Israel in every way possible. Thank God we have seen the end of all that.
Being British, I was annoyed when Obama (or Obampot) said that Britain would be “at the end of the queu” after Brexit. Trump has said the opposite–we will be first to do trade deals with the USA. Well said Donald. All the best from Jim Clarke
Maybe it`s not Donald Trump`s economy yet…. Maybe It will take longer than hoped…. Maybe we are long overdue.
We do need a bit of an uplifting. The last 8 years seemed hopeless. There is so many more people brought in to our country.
All wanting something they never had before. There will be more Jobs now, and more housing now. Probably not enough.
With Trump working for us, and not for foreign Interests. It will happen faster than before. I see positive changes already.
People seem optimistic, not everyone , but many. I see new shops and plans for future business. Just here in my neighborhood.
America can ,and will be the beacon of hope it once was…