US consumer sentiment to stay near recent highs - Nomura

Analysts at Nomura note that the US consumer sentiment remained buoyant in February in the University of Michigan survey and optimism about larger paychecks following the tax legislation passed in December 2017, coupled with steady job growth, points to elevated consumer sentiment.

Key Quotes

“In March, we largely expect consumer sentiment to stay near recent highs, although widespread news coverage of President Trump’s proposed tariffs and the subsequent market reaction poses some downside risk. In the February survey, inflation expectations at both the one-year and 510 year horizon remained unchanged at 2.7% and 2.5%, respectively. We expect these measures to remain within a steady range in the upcoming report.”