UF students may have an easier time fi nding jobs as consumers become more comfortable spending money. A study by the UF Bureau of
Economic and Business Research shows that Floridians’ consumer sentiment, or how confi dent people are in the economy, has steadily increased from December to January after jumping seven points from November to December, said Christopher
McCarty, the bureau’s director. UF economics professor Mark Rush said students should take notice of the rising numbers. If consumer sentiment continues to increase, it could mean more job opportunities. “If people do indeed follow through and do indeed feel more confi dent and spend more money, that might mean a few more jobs
available for students at UF, both while they are students and then once they graduate,” Rush said. McCarty said the study, consisting of a fi ve-question survey, takes data from 500 randomly selected Floridians. The fi nal scores range from two to 150, with higher numbers equating to consumers feeling more positive about the economy.
Scores jumped from 90.3 in November to 97.3 in December, while January had a score of 97.8, he said. However, it’s hard to determine whether rates will continue to rise. “In general, I think people are encouraged by what they’re seeing in the economy at the moment,” McCarty said.
