In this episode of 'Your Personal Economist,' Michelle Meyer, Chief Economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, explains how stock market movements influence economic confidence and shape behavior across households and businesses.
- Major stock market indices like the S&P 500, the Nasdaq and the Dow reflect not only company and sector performance, but also how people feel about the economy.
- Changes in market confidence can influence consumer spending, business investment and hiring decisions, even for those who are not active investors.
- Because markets move on expectations about the future, shifts in sentiment can become self-reinforcing, amplifying optimism or uncertainty across the broader economy.
The stock market is one of the leading signals we have about expectations. When confidence improves, it can support real momentum in the economy.
Michelle Meyer Chief Economist and Head of the Mastercard Economics Institute
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