Consumer Health Diagnosis "Grim" As Four Out Of Five Spending Indicators Disappoint
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/04/2013 08:24 -0500

"Following up on Friday's abysmal consumer income data, we now take look at the spending side of the equation, without much optimism. Not surprisingly, as Bloomberg's Richard Yamarone summarizes, the consumer health picture in January was "grim" and "after adjusting for inflation and taxes, is simply insufficient to sustain the expansion." He adds that "over the last couple of weeks, no fewer than a dozen consumer-related companies made mention of the deterioration in incomes as a risk to business and performances." Yamarone concludes: "Spending on discretionary items has softened in recent months. Four of our ‘Fab Five’ spending barometers fell or were unchanged in January from December.
. . .
That this is happening with rates at zero, and with an effective countrywide mortgage payment moratorium allowing millions to live mortgage payment free, means that if and when things normalize, consumption - the driver of 70% of the US economy - will fall off the proverbial cliff.
. . . "

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-03-04...tors-disappoint

What is this discretionary spending of which you speak?

That's depressing.

Quote: FP123 wrote in post #2

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What is this discretionary spending of which you speak?

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Put the cattle in the chutes . . . squeeze em.

squeeze em some more.

squeeze the very life outta them.

process their bodies for the machine.

Done.

rinse

repeat.