There's a disconnect between the stock market and consumer optimism — and some economists say affordability is a primary culprit . Over the last four to five years, the stock market has become divorced from consumer sentiment: Stock valuations have soared while consumer optimism has plunged to near-record lows , economists said. The dynamic is atypical, said Joe Seydl, a senior markets economist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Prior to 2022, stock markets and consumer sentiment largely moved in