The Companies You Hate

I know why economic growth is slowing: Consumers hate the companies they do business with.

At least that's the conclusion I'd draw if I took at face value the vitriol readers heaped on businesses that ignore them, overcharge them, disrespect them and generally mistreat them. In my July 28 column on inflation, I asked readers to send me examples of companies they hate. So the hundreds of emails I received bashing companies hardly constitute a scientific sample, and it's wise to take these complaints with a grain of salt.

But the data suggest two important conclusions about the economy and what investors can expect in the next six to 12 months. ...