Changes to office life look permanent, but shifts in workforce do not
Purchasing intentions for big-ticket items cooled slightly
A new survey by the Conference Board of Canada indicates consumer confidence decreased 11.7 points in May
Inflation and the war in Ukraine may curb consumer spending this year
The prolonged, profound pandemic experience may have altered consumers for good, researchers suggest
The index increased in June for the fifth straight month
Economists believe the rising confidence will bolster economic growth
Consumers intend to spend some of the billions in savings built up during the pandemic
But consumers are more optimistic about current conditions than they are about the near future
The decline reflected a big drop in consumer expectations for income, business and labour market conditions