How 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 | ReutersThere's a disconnect between the stock market and consumer optimism — and some economists say affordability is a primary culprit.Over the last four to five years, the stock market has become divorced from consumer sentiment: Stock valuations have soared while consumer optimism has plunged to near-record lows, economists ...