Part 5/11:
Surprisingly, despite the market's resilience, US consumer confidence—as measured by the University of Michigan survey—has been at some of its worst readings in over 70 years. Americans are grappling with a cost of living crisis, inflation soaring to levels reminiscent of the 1980s, and a general economic malaise. Yet, paradoxically, the stock market continues to climb, seemingly detached from the economic reality that many Americans face.