This is the state of the economy (ahead of the State of the Union)

(David Goldman, Alicia Wallace, Matt Stiles – CNN) The state of the union’s economy is surprisingly strong. On paper, anyway. Jobs, wage growth, consumer spending and inflation under President Donald Trump look pretty decent or have been mostly stable and the stock market is near a record high. Yet Americans despise this economy. Consumer confidence is near record lows and recent polling shows Trump’s economy gets dreadful grades from potential voters – a political liability for Republicans ahead of this year’s midterms. Why such negativity? Affordability. It’s a term Trump hates (and says he has defeated). But following the pandemic, prices surged during the Biden administration and consumers haven’t yet adjusted. Housing and child care in particular are largely unavailable and unaffordable. And loan delinquencies, especially for lower-income Americans, are starting to get worrisome. Trump on Tuesday night is set to deliver this year’s State of the Union address. Here’s a look at some of the economic indicators that appear strong, those that are seemingly stable, and the ones that are raising red flags. – This is the state of the economy (ahead of the State of the Union) | CNN Business