U.S. consumer sentiment advanced last week to a fresh 17-year high as greater optimism about household finances and the buying climate more than offset a deterioration in views about the economy, the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index showed Thursday.
Elevated sentiment, together with a strong labor market and lower taxes, may help boost household spending and support the economy. At the same time, the risk of a U.S.-China trade war amid tariff threats is casting uncertainty on the outlook for growth, though economists predict it won’t amount to a major setback.
