Axios

Dorm rooms are tiny. The dorm decor economy is not.

The big picture: College dorms are becoming customized, social-media-ready micro-apartments, but the market looks wildly different depending on which side of the Mason-Dixon line your campus sits.

American consumers have powered the economy forward this year. In July, they took a breather.

Why it matters: While the underlying trend in consumer demand appears solid, retail sales hit an air pocket last month, suggesting a bumpier path ahead for overall growth.

• Combined with a weak jobs report last week and two subdued inflation readings this week, it points to the Federal Reserve having room to be patient on potential interest rate increases this fall.

Public opinion about the economy appears to be souring further this month, per the preliminary release of the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index.

By the numbers: Overall sentiment fell 8% in the early days of August, after two consecutive months of improvement.