Greensboro, NC -- It has been an encouraging economic week.
The Dow closed Wednesday up 490 points, ending the trading day above 12,000 points. The index has more than gained back the 564 points it lost last week.
Wednesday's leap was the Dow's biggest gain since March 2009.
When it comes to consumer confidence, the National Retail Federation said both Black Friday and Cyber Monday set sales records.
Black Friday sales were up more than 6% and totaled more than $11 billion. More than 120 million people took advantage of online deals on Cyber Monday and pushed sales up 33% compared to last year.
Steve Morton with Morton Wealth Management in Greensboro offered his insight on whether he thinks these numbers are really good news or just a fluke, what this means for individuals, and what it means for the health of our nation's economy.
To watch his interview, click the video player in this story.