American consumers are feeling as upbeat about the state of the economy and their own job prospects as they have at any time since the Great Recession. Will this increased confidence translate into freer spending habits over the next year? Further afield, how are those habits being transformed by the aging of the U.S. population?

On this episode of Indications, Gad Levanon, Chief Economist for North America and Lynn Franco, Director of Indicators and Surveys, discuss the short- and long-term factors driving purchasing behavior.

They break down the post-election bounce in our Consumer Confidence Index, then turn to the question posed by our latest demographic research: What industries other than health care will be boosted by a growing 65+ population? Where will new retirement destinations take root? And how do economics account for changing demographics and differences in generational tastes when forecasting future demand for iPhones?

Reading List:

• The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index (released last Tuesday each month)
• The Impact of Demographic Trends on Consumer Spending by Gad Levanon, Brian Anderson, Ben Cheng, and Frank Steemers (member report)
• "Locating the Next Myrtle Beach: Retirement Destinations and Workforce Planning" by Gad Levanon (blog)