The RealClearMarkets/TIPP Economic Optimism Index declined to 47.5 in March 2026 from 48.8 in February, missing market expectations of 50.1. The Six-Month Economic Outlook, which measures how consumers perceive the economy's prospects in the next six months, fell 1.8%, from 43.8 in February to 43.0 in March. The Personal Financial Outlook, a measure of how Americans feel about their own finances in the next six months, dropped 4.6% from its previous reading of 56.9 in February to 54.3 this month. Confidence in Federal Economic Policies, a proprietary RCM/TIPP measure of views on the effectiveness of government economic policies, slipped to 45.1 in March from 45.7 in February, a 1.3% drop.