Following the recent election cycle, both consumer confidence and economic outlook indicators have shown improvement. The Conference Board reported a rise in its consumer confidence index to 111.7, driven mainly by optimistic assessments about job availability and a lower expected inflation rate. Gallup polling reflected a 9-point increase in economic confidence, attributed largely to Republican gains, while Democratic sentiment decreased. Despite improvements, economic confidence remains in negative territory overall, suggesting ongoing caution among some demographics as the holiday shopping season approaches.