ANN ARBOR - Consumer confidence has remained largely unchanged in the past three months despite the hard winter as well as a severe drought. The current state of consumer finances were just as strong in March as in December, and more importantly, consumers viewed their financial prospects for the year ahead much more favorably in March than at the start of the winter season. The gains in personal finances were offset by rising concerns about the outlook for the overall economy. While consumers still anticipate that the national economy will continue to grow during the year ahead, they have become increasingly concerned about the ability of the economy to avoid a downturn sometime in the next five years. Of more immediate concern, consumers have voiced their dismay about the slowdown in home value gains , a slowdown that was expected to continue in the year ahead.

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