Consumer Confidence Rises
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index for March rose to 91.8, beating economist expectations of 87.5. The index is benchmarked to 1985 and was assigned a value of 100. Above 100: Indicates a strong, growing economy with high optimism. Below 100: Suggests consumers are more cautious or pessimistic than they were in the 1985 baseline. While the current reading is below 100, the rise suggests growing confidence amid economic uncertainty.
Source: The Conference Board
IMF Optimism
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded its latest consultation on the U.S. economy on April 1, with a surprisingly optimistic outlook for the rest of the year. The IMF projected 2026 GDP growth to rise to 2.4%, citing “exceptionally strong broad-based productivity.” While tariffs and energy costs caused a spike in Q1, the IMF expects core inflation to resume its decline toward 2% in the coming months as the initial “impulse” from new trade policies begins to wane.
Source: The International Monetary Fund
Cellphone Bans
At least 11 states have individual restaurants or bars with a form of phone restrictions. Data from Consumer Affairs showed Americans spend an average of 4.5 hours per day on their devices. Another revealed that 86.5% of phone use involves social networking and texting during meals. Even some Chick-fil-A locations are offering free ice cream as an incentive to turn over your phone while eating.
Source: Consumer Affairs, Axios
Apple iPhone Folds
Apple’s first foldable phone is on track to arrive in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. While the complexity of the new display and materials may limit initial supply for several weeks, Apple is said to be operating with a plan to put the device on sale around the same time as the new non-foldable models. Still, the release is six months away and production has yet to ramp up, meaning the timing isn’t final.
Source: Bloomberg
Office Buildings On Sale
Owners of office buildings hoping for a rebound post-COVID are beginning to throw in the towel. Buyers are picking up office towers in major U.S. cities for roughly the price of a three-bedroom condo unit in Manhattan. These distressed sales are paving the way for new owners to pursue redevelopment ideas that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Even high-quality properties, on average, have dropped 35% in value from their peak.
Source: Green Street Analytics, Wall Street Journal
How Old Is Your Home?
The typical US home is a record 44 years old and needs a lot of work. Structural repair costs grew by about 14.1% in real terms between 2022 and 2024, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Plumbing jumped by 23.6%. The increase reflects the rising cost of individual parts and labor, and the larger size of necessary repairs. This is on top of higher home insurance, property taxes, and homeowners’ association dues, which make it prohibitive for many to simply own a home, let alone buy one. It all makes renting a potentially better way to go.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Babe Ruth Record Falls
On this day, April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s home run record. His 715th home run came off Al Downing of the Dodgers. The historic blast happened in the bottom of the fourth inning with a runner on first base. He finished his career with 755. It wasn’t until August 7, 2007, that Barry Bonds broke Aaron’s record off pitcher Mike Bacsik of the Washington Nationals. He finished with a total of 762 career home runs. Albert Pujols, with 703, is the only other player to top 700.
Source: Sporting News
