Watches, movies and burrito taxis: How Americans splurge in a vibecession

Americans feeling pinched financially are splurging on small treats while economic anxiety and inflation jitters put off larger purchases. Why it matters: From movie tickets to collectible watches, those affordable indulgences are helping sustain consumer spending.The economy remains in what some economists call a "vibecession," where consumers feel relatively stable personally while pessimistic about the broader economy.Consumers feel caught between a "combination of rising inflation, slowing a...