Report: U.S. consumer confidence rises most since 2003

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the Conference Board showed that consumer confidence experienced its biggest gain in more than eight years, jumping to 56 in November from a revised 40.9 reading in the month prior. The leap was the biggest since April 2003 and exceeded the most optimistic forecast by Bloomberg News.

via chainstoreage.com

So, the $52 billion Black Friday spending spree was not an aberation. Add online sales on Cyber Monday were up 33% over 2010.  But over the next months, we'll learn if economists, the markets or consumers have the best take on the U.S. economy..