Two worrisome signs

Consumer sentiment and new homes both tumble, pointing to a slowdown in economic growth ahead.
September 27, 2005: 4:36 PM EDT
by Kathleen Hays

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The optimistic view of plunging consumer confidence is that it's due mainly to back-to-back monster hurricanes and the spike in gas prices that resulted.

According to this rosy view, as the Gulf Coast rebuilds and gas prices head south, consumer confidence will rebound as quickly as President Bush dumped his former FEMA chief.

The pessimistic view is that high gas prices aren't going away anytime soon and that this could continue to crimp consumers for awhile.