The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index slipped to 107.1 this month from 109.0 in December. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index at 109.0. The survey places more emphasis on the labor market, which remains tight.

US home prices dropped for the fifth month in a row in November, as rising mortgage rates pushed prospective buyers out of the housing market late last year and prices continued to cool, according to the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index, released Tuesday. 

Are we headed toward a recession? It's hard to know for sure but economists everywhere are looking for signs for it or against it. 5 Things Sunday host James Brown explores two economic indicators: the recently released GDP number with USA TODAY's Charisse Jones and the state the RV industry with Ball State economics professor Dr. Michael Hicks.