Tag

Consumer Sentiment

All articles tagged with #consumer sentiment

economy5 days ago•5 min saved

Inflation Outpaces Pay, Eroding Americans’ Purchasing Power and Confidence

Despite a growing economy and low unemployment, inflation has outpaced wage growth for four straight months, eroding purchasing power and dampening consumer sentiment. A University of Michigan survey shows most Americans expect prices to rise faster than income, and a Chicago Booth/ADP study finds real wages fell for about 40% of workers between 2020 and 2024, with bonuses offering little relief. The result is persistent economic unease even as growth and jobs remain positive.

via Business Insider|

#consumer-sentiment #economy #inflation

economy1 month ago•326 min saved

Gas-price relief boosts consumer optimism, but risks loom

Lower gasoline costs have lifted Americans’ mood about the economy, with the University of Michigan survey showing sentiment up 10% to 54.4—the highest since February—yet inflation expectations remain elevated and spending growth is modest; unemployment is low, but the outlook depends on energy-market stability amid ongoing Middle East tensions.

via CNN|

#consumer-sentiment #economy #energy-prices

business1 month ago•326 min saved

Gas-price relief lifts consumer mood, but momentum faces headwinds

Lower gas prices boosted the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index by about 10% to 54.4, the highest since February, with gains across age, income, wealth, and political group, though sentiment remains below a year ago. The relief could be short-lived amid ongoing Middle East tensions and energy-price volatility. June retail spending rose 0.2% (0.7% excluding gas), unemployment stood at 4.2%, and inflation expectations for the coming year fell to 4.2% from 4.6%, but remain well above pre-crisis levels. Economists caution that sentiment hasn’t consistently predicted spending in recent years.

via CNN|

#business #consumer-sentiment #energy-prices

business2 months ago•3 min saved

Michigan Consumer Confidence Rebounds in June as Gas Prices Ease

US University of Michigan final June sentiment rose to 49.5, rebounding from a 46-year low as lower gas prices and easing inflation expectations improved both current conditions and consumer outlook.

via Forex Factory|

#business #consumer-sentiment #economic-indicators

business2 months ago•317 min saved

Gas relief lifts US optimism about the economy

Americans are slightly more upbeat about the economy as gas prices ease, with the University of Michigan’s sentiment index rising from 48.9 to 49.5 in the latest survey—the first uptick since February—though feelings remain well below pre-war levels as high prices linger and continue to weigh on households' finances.

via CNN|

#business #consumer-sentiment #economy

economy2 months ago•319 min saved

Gas-price relief lifts consumer sentiment for first time in three months

New University of Michigan data show consumer sentiment rose 9% to a preliminary 48.9 this month, marking the first uptick in three months, aided by recent declines in gasoline prices; however, sentiment remains historically weak amid ongoing inflation and energy-price volatility linked to the Iran war. Economists say a real recovery will require sustained price stability, with low-income households buoyed most by cheaper gas, while a separate TransUnion survey finds inflation remains the top financial worry.

via CNN|

#consumer-sentiment #economy #gas-prices

economy2 months ago•316 min saved

American Wallets Wobble: Fed Data Show Worsening Finances and Job Anxiety

New York Fed’s May Survey of Consumer Expectations finds Americans are gloomier about their finances and job prospects, with inflation expectations around 3.5% and rising costs erasing wage gains; the labor market remains slow with modest job gains and rising perceived risk of unemployment, while quit rates edge up as people test the job market.

via CNN|

#consumer-sentiment #economy #federal-reserve

economy2 months ago•2 min saved

Inflation Pressure and Job Anxiety Strain Americans, NY Fed Survey Finds

A New York Fed survey finds roughly 48% of Americans say their finances are worse than a year ago, the highest share since early 2023, with optimism about the next year at a low; inflation remains elevated as gas prices stay high and May CPI is expected to show around 4.2% inflation; about 15% fear losing their job within a year, wage growth (3.4% in May) lags inflation (roughly 3.8%), and credit card delinquencies have climbed to the highest level since 2011, signaling growing financial strain despite hiring gains.

via CBS News|

#consumer-sentiment #economy #inflation

economics2 months ago•8 min saved

Food Insecurity Deepens Consumer Pessimism in a Split Economy

A New York Fed analysis using the Survey of Consumer Expectations finds rising food insecurity since 2020—disproportionately among lower‑income, less‑educated households and those with children—alongside a sharp drop in consumer optimism and job-finding prospects. Despite solid macro indicators, sentiment remains weak, reflecting a K‑shaped economy where the bottom half faces renewed financial strain. The study links higher insecurity to deteriorating outlooks, while acknowledging that inflation, cost of living, and policy changes (e.g., SNAP) also drive pessimism and that multiple factors influence consumer expectations even among those not reporting food insecurity.

via Liberty Street Economics|

#consumer-sentiment #economics #food-insecurity

economy3 months ago•314 min saved

New York Fed flags a surge in food insecurity as costs bite lower-income families

A Federal Reserve Bank of New York study updates a 2020 analysis with fresh data from its Survey of Consumer Expectations, finding a “remarkable” rise in food insecurity in early 2026—especially among lower-income households and families with young children—where 10% report not having enough food in February, up from 4% in 2020. Increases in food donations and SNAP participation, plus more households dipping into savings, accompany a shift in sentiment as Americans face higher costs and waning pandemic-era aid, highlighting persistent inequality in a K-shaped economy. The report notes the data predated the Middle East oil shock and does not claim a causal link between insecurity and consumer sentiment.

via CNN|

#consumer-sentiment #economy #food-insecurity

business3 months ago•1 min saved

Record Dow, Dimming Confidence: Markets vs Mood

The Dow Jones hit a record high even as US consumer sentiment sank to an all-time low, underscoring a split between booming markets and anxious households as AI-related job concerns and rising yields weigh on the outlook.

via Semafor|

#artificial-intelligence #business #consumer-sentiment

business3 months ago•22 min saved

Markets Rise, Confidence Falls: Graphic Signals Historic US Wealth Gap

A Kobeissi Letter graphic links decades of data, showing the S&P 500 rising about 130% over six years while US Consumer Sentiment slides roughly 55% to a record low, illustrating what the piece calls the biggest wealth divide in modern history as markets climb and everyday confidence crumbles.

via Common Dreams|

#business #consumer-sentiment #economy

business3 months ago•17 min saved

Warsh Takes the Fed Helm as Inflation Climbs and Confidence Dips

Kevin Warsh is sworn in as Federal Reserve chair at a moment of rising inflation and eroding consumer sentiment, with President Trump backing his independence but warning that growth does not equal inflation. The economy faces high oil prices, tariffs, and AI-related costs, prompting debate over whether to tighten policy or hold. Officials signal no easing bias, and investors are eyeing a possible rate move at the June meeting as they weigh Warsh’s approach against the Fed’s goals of price stability and maximum employment.

via KSL.com|

#business #consumer-sentiment #fed

economy3 months ago•314 min saved

Gas Pain Pushes US Consumer Confidence to Record Low, UMich Finds

The University of Michigan’s May reading shows US consumer sentiment at a record low of 44.2, driven by high gas prices and inflation; expectations for future inflation rose and pessimism is strongest among lower-income and less-educated Americans amid oil-price shocks and ongoing affordability concerns.

via CNN|

#affordability #consumer-sentiment #economy

politics3 months ago•24 min saved

Inflation’s betrayal reshapes how Americans view the economy

Despite solid GDP growth and strong markets, Americans’ confidence in the economy is at historic lows. Vox explains the “vibe gap” — a mismatch between long-running price expectations and current reality — and how decades of low inflation have left people feeling betrayed by today’s inflation and the cost of living, a mood reflected in UMich sentiment surveys and CNN polls.

via vox.com|

#consumer-sentiment #economy #explainers