Does Wile E Coyote explain US voters’ gloom amid buoyant economy?

Official figures point to an impressive recovery but many Americans don't feel that way. Is the economy heading for a fall?

Strolling past the colorfully restored Victorian homes of the Fourth Ward, watching the barman hand-carve blocks of ice for old fashioneds at the jam-packed bar of The Crunkleton, it's easy to fall for Charlotte's ample southern charms. And yet, people are not happy - at least according to the polls.

Consumer sentiment in North Carolina is now lower than it was at the height of the pandemic, according to High Point University's confidence tracker. People are just not feeling particularly good," said Martin Kifer, director of the university's survey research center.