wealth effect

Early corporate earnings season underscores a widening divide in U.S. consumer spending. Affluent households are splurging on cars, sneakers and everyday luxuries, powering profits at companies like Coca‑Cola, 3M and General Motors, while middle‑ and lower‑income consumers continue to pinch pennies amid high inflation and mortgage rates. With nearly nine in ten reporting S&P 500 firms beating expectations, markets remain buoyant, but the government shutdown’s data blackout and persistent tariff pressures leave policymakers guessing about the broader economy’s health.