by Calculated Risk on 5/29/2015 10:03:00 AM

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The final University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for May was at 90.7, up from the preliminary reading of 88.6, and down from 95.9 in April.

This was close to the consensus forecast of 90.0.

Chicago PMI May 2015: Chicago Business Barometer Back into Contraction in May

The Barometer fell 6.1 points to 46.2 in May from 52.3 in April. All five components of the Barometer weakened with three dropping by more than 10% and all of them now below the 50 breakeven mark.

April’s positive move had suggested that the first quarter slowdown was transitory and had been impacted by the cold snap and port strikes. May’s weakness points to a more fundamental slowdown with the Barometer running only slightly above February’s 5½-year low of 45.8.
...
Chief Economist of MNI Indicators Philip Uglow said, “We had thought that the April bounce was consistent with a partial return to normal following the weather and port related slowdown in the first quarter. The latest data for May, however, suggest that this was a false dawn and that sluggish activity has carried through to the second quarter.”
emphasis added

This was well below the consensus forecast of 53.0.