Is consumer confidence up or down? Probably a bit of both

Are American consumers turning more upbeat, or less? It depends on which poll they’re responding to.
Consumer confidence unexpectedly rose in August to the highest level since October 2000, according to a report Tuesday from the New York-based Conference Board, exceeding all forecasts in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Contrast that with the University of Michigan’s preliminary report released Aug. 17, which showed household sentiment fell this month to the lowest level in almost a