While it is certain that derivative-hopers and uptick-algo-watchers are relieved to see a better than expected rise in University of Michigan's Confidence index (thanks to a generous rise in current economic expectations - which we suspect is as co-dependent on the miracle of rising stock prices as it is used to reflexively justify higher equity prices). Stocks are bid (briefly) on this but remain, medium-term, notably dislocated from the real state of less-than-exuberance among the people. And in great rhetorical questions, this one remains: are stocks now higher because rising consumer confidence, or is consumer confidence rising because stocks just spiked.
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