Quikrete Industry Dashboard: Confidence boost

Here's the latest Quikrete Industry Dashboard, after another relatively mild week of national metrics. The headline update: Consumer Confidence Index increased mildly to 107.2, up from a downwardly revised reading of 105.7 from February, according to the Conference Board. 

“Consumer confidence was up slightly in March after declines in February and January,” said Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at The Conference Board. “The Present Situation Index rose substantially, suggesting economic growth continued into late Q1. Expectations, on the other hand, weakened further with consumers citing rising prices, especially at the gas pump, and the war in Ukraine as factors."

Meanwhile, residential construction is trending up, existing home sales are trending down, and stock prices are volatile. 

The latest reading from the American Automobile Association's tally of gas prices shows the average price for a gallon of regular receded a few pennies from last week, but at $4.23 is still up 62 cents from a month ago, and up $1.36 from a year ago.