I was a bit apprehensive about joining. But it just gave me so much more confidence.

Dwayne was hitting. This is the stuff he can do. He's full of confidence, and we kind of go as he goes.

She plays with a lot of confidence. She looks like a senior out there.

Historically, shocks have had a short-term impact on consumer confidence, especially on consumers' expectations. Fuel prices remain high, though they have retreated in recent days, and when combined with a weaker job market outlook, will likely curb both confidence and spending for the short run.

While the economy has not turned around yet, the worst may well be over. The upturn in confidence is being driven by growing confidence about the business outlook and job prospects. Consumer expectations for the future are now higher than they have been in more than a year.

Much of the decline in confidence over the past two months can be attributed to the recent hurricanes, (gas) pump shock and a weakening labor market.