In the battle for pizza-chain dominance, it was Papa John's International (PZZA) that took the cake (or rather the crust). The Consumerist reports that the latest results from the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index -- tracking points on customer expectations, perceived quality and value, customer complaints, and customer loyalty -- show Papa John's topped its peers in both the pizza business and the fast-food sector overall.

The chain improved its score by 6.7% from last year, hitting 80/100.

U.S. consumer confidence in early June plunged to its lowest level in 28 years, an indication American adults are becoming increasingly concerned about rising energy and food prices, job layoffs, and the prospects for a U.S. economic recovery.

The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said its reading of confidence fell to 56.7 in June from 59.8 in May.

It was the index's lowest reading since May 1980 -- a period also characterized by high oil/gasoline prices and a sluggish U.S. economy.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had predicted that the May index would fall to 59.8. The index stood at 62.8 in April 2008 and 69.5 in March.

U.S. public: jittery

Economist Peter Dawson told BloggingStocks Friday, June's consumer sentiment reading shows an American public "with a warranted case of the jitters."

Are public attitudes toward the U.S. government's economic policy linked to housing prices?

There are other factors involved, but over the past three decades there has been a correlation between the two conditions, The New York Times reported.

When home prices are rising at a pace moderately faster than inflation, consumers tend to think well of the U.S. Government's economic policies, The Times reported, citing Haver Analytics.

For example, during the U.S. housing market's two, prior housing booms, 1984-1987 during the Reagan Administration, and 1996-1998 during the Clinton Administration, consumers, on average, approved of the government's economic policies, The Times reported.

Happiness increases with age, according to a study conducted for HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE: HBC) and reported by MarketWatch. What is happiness? Why does it increase with age?

This study implicitly defined happiness as a combination of health, freedom from financial worry, and control over one's life. According to the study, a majority of people in their 60s and 70s report being healthy and in control of their lives -- and as happy as many respondents in their 40s. This is the key finding of HSBC's survey of 21,000 people in 21 countries and spanning four age groups, each decade from age 40 to age 80.

Health is surprisingly good but varies by country. Overall, just 14% of those 60 to 79 in the U.S. said they're in poor or very poor health, while 86% say they're in fair, good or very good health. Poor health is lower in some countries -- Brazil (10%) and Mexico (10%) -- and higher in others -- Asia (18%), South Africa (32%), Russia (35%) and Turkey (35%).