Retail economics just dropped an interesting take. Mark Mathews from the National Retail Federation describes today's consumer landscape with a sharp contrast: sentiment is wobbly, but the fundamentals? Still holding strong. It's that classic disconnect we're seeing—people feel uncertain, maybe spooked by headlines, yet spending power and balance sheets tell a different story. The gap between how consumers feel versus what they're actually capable of doing financially remains wide. Worth watching how this plays out as we head deeper into the year.