Americans still feel bad about the economy. When will it get better?

American consumers have been pessimistic for so long that now economists are wondering when — or even if — households will ever feel financially better off. The University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers , a closely-watched bellwether, hit all-time lows in May, according to a preliminary reading released last week. That is just one of several consumer opinion surveys showing Americans have never regained confidence in the U.S. economy since the Covid-19 pandemic struck more than six years ago. …