California’s consumer confidence rose 2% from June. The index has dropped in 7 of 9 months since Trump’s election.

But after Trump first won the White House, California consumer confidence rose 19% in the same time frame. It’s likely not the “what” but the “how” in play.

Meanwhile, California’s view of current conditions soured in July. The “present situation” slice of the confidence index was off 4% for the month and is down 16% from October.

California’s consumer confidence rose 2% from June. The index has dropped in 7 of 9 months since Trump’s election.

Nationally nervous It’s not simply a California quirk. U.S. consumers are anxious, too. The same math shows national confidence is off 11% since October, yet it rose 17% post-election, eight ...