Editorial companion

What stands out

Cullen Roche highlights a striking disconnect: household net worth sits near record highs while consumer sentiment remains unusually pessimistic. He pins much of the disconnect on rising anxiety about artificial intelligence even as firms pour capital into a massive technology buildout. The clip matters because it surfaces a behavioral puzzle, wealth and balance-sheet strength on one side, fear and caution on the other, which helps explain why markets can rally even when consumers say they expect worse times.