The economic psyche is a fragile yet incredibly powerful force. When things are going good, wow, bring 'em on, let's have a boom! But the reverse, sadly, is true too. And that's where we are right now, as the collective economic mood has crumbled. That, on top of all sorts of problems such as housing prices and mortgages, leads people to pull back. Which, in turn, makes things even worse. For a look at the latest measure of consumer confidence, click here.
--Noel Rubinton