Affordability led to a chasm between stock prices, consumer optimism
A trader works as the Dow Jones Industrial Average surpasses the 50,000 mark on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., Feb. 6, 2026. Brendan McDermid | Reuters There’s a disconnect between the stock market and consumer optimism — and some economists say affordability is a primary culprit….