U.S. CONSUMER SENTIMENT SLIPS BUT IN A PARTISAN WAY

U.S. consumer sentiment dipped in early January as Americans reacted to the assault on the U.S. Capitol and the surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths, the University of Michigan said on Friday in a report that showed a deep partisan divide in views on the economy and outlook. The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index dropped modestly to 79.2 early this month from a final reading of 80.7 in December. The report revealed a chasm in economic sentiment between Republicans and Democrats. The survey's overall reading plummeted to a six-and-a-half-year low among Republicans while surging to a four-year high among Democrats.