AI-based analysis of durable goods price dynamics - monitoring inflation signals across appliances, electronics, and big-ticket items as supply chains normalize or tighten.

Consumer sentiment indicators track narrative shifts across spending categories, not just headline retail data. Category-level Awareness spikes often precede sector earnings revisions by four to six weeks as analyst coverage catches up to on-the-ground sentiment shifts. Sentiment divergences across related categories (e.g., healthcare rising, discretionary falling) can signal income-squeeze dynamics.

Key Drivers

• Retail sales reports (headline and core)
• Consumer confidence surveys
• Wage growth and disposable income data
• Credit card spending and delinquency trends
• Inflation pass-through commentary and pricing power signals

Reading the Mood Scale

• 0–20Severely Stressed. Coverage dominated by risk-aversion signals; narrative heavily skewed toward stressed conditions.
• 21–40Stressed. Below-neutral conditions with cautious market positioning; optimism subdued relative to the 30-day baseline.
• 41–60Stable. Balanced coverage with no clear directional bias. Market is in a wait-and-see posture, awaiting a catalyst.
• 61–80Confident. Positive momentum building in the narrative; coverage tilting toward confident catalysts and upside scenarios.
• 81–100Very Confident. Elevated risk of mean-reversion. Watch for sentiment exhaustion signals and divergence from the Awareness score.

How to Use This Index

• Use the Mood score to gauge the prevailing narrative bias for Durables at a glance.
• The Awareness score flags unusual spikes in coverage — early-warning signals that often precede price moves.
• Extreme readings (0–20 or 80–100) historically mark periods of heightened volatility and potential reversals.
• Compare across related topics to find cross-asset divergences and correlation breakdowns.
• Pro subscribers can view 3 years of history to calibrate thresholds against past market regimes.

This index is frequently referenced alongside durable goods inflation, price sentiment, ai inflation sentiment, internet goods prices, alternative data inflation — helping traders and analysts track Durables mood shifts in real time.