Consumer confidence improved in July, rising to 97.2 from 95.2 in June, beating economists’ estimates. Despite this, expectations remain low, with the Expectations Index still below the recession threshold of 80. Tariffs continue to be a top concern, leading to hesitancy in purchasing cars and homes. However, confidence in the stock market rose, with more consumers expecting stock prices to increase. Additionally, more consumers expect interest rates to fall and jobs to become available. Overall, while confidence has improved, it remains below last year’s levels.

Read more at Investing.com: Consumers More Bullish on Stocks, Bearish on Services and Big-Ticket Items