What's it really like on Main St, USA now?

I'm in the UK....even after the massive wealth decimation we've seen on stock markets, it still seems very much business as usual here (as far as the man in the street is concerned)

Sure people are a little more worried, but the shops are still full, people are still spending (retail figs came in more bullish than analysts had been expecting today).

I'm concscious that there are *many* more Americans with direct exposure to the stock markets than Brits (I guess that'll be the gamblers in your basic DNA)

So just curious if the carnage witnessed on Wall St, has really impacted the average American yet?



Personally, I think everyone will get to chomp on a reality sandwich after xmas.... most here in the UK still seem to be in a bit of denial.

 

same here in US. All this talk of recession and crisis, and just like the 2002 recession I still can't see it. it's business as usual. No soup lines. nothing like that.

 

Everything seems fine here to me also. Movie theaters are full. Shopping centers are packed as well as places to eat. I live in Texas which supposedly is less impacted than the rest of the country but it seems like business as usual here.

Paul

 

Bullshit, the car lots are full of rusting cars, and the restaurants are starting to smell of rotting food.

 

Businesses are feeling it, make no mistake. Our economy is so heavily weighted towards services and most of these things are not necessities, so they are certainly taking a hit despite what the #1 US stock marker cheerleader has just told you.

For now, it isn't too bad, but it will get much worse if this situation stays bad for much longer. Most businesses are able to weather a short storm, but once you start talking years of a crappy economy, many of them will fail.

 

Do keep in mind that even in optimial econ conditions over 90% of small businesses will fail.

 

just kidding, if you didn't watch the news, you wouldn't know about any crisis happening

 

A Starbucks under $4? Let's hope.

 

I was at 3 malls in Dallas this weekend. Uggh. All were packed though. I noticed a lot of stores with 30-50% off deals so maybe that's why the stores are packed.

 

The stores are packed because we're in the worst mental depression since the great depression. The only crisis is a media generated one. It is only a matter of time before the market rallies. Bargains do help, but it's proof the economy is still fundemtentally strong.