The Conference Board said U.S. consumer confidence fell to 81.9 in September.
Why it matters: Consumer sentiment is a key read on household spending and retail demand. A sharp drop can also shape how executives and investors view the strength of the economy.
- The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.7 points to 81.9 in September from 88.6 in August.
- The reading was the lowest since April 2014, according to the Conference Board and AP.
- The Present Situation Index fell 7.9 points to 109.3, while the Expectations Index fell 5.9 points to 63.6.
- Dana M. Peterson said consumers' views of current business conditions turned negative for the first time since September 2024.
The Conference Board said its U.S. Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply in September as households grew more worried about prices and jobs. The index dropped to 81.9 from 88.6 in August, the group said in its monthly survey release. The Conference Board
That was the weakest reading since April 2014, according to the Conference Board and AP. The decline was broad-based: the Present Situation Index fell to 109.3, and the Expectations Index slipped to 63.6, its third straight monthly drop.
Dana M. Peterson, the Conference Board's chief economist, said consumers' views of current business conditions turned negative for the first time since September 2024. She said references to prices, the high cost of goods and services, and oil and gas prices rose to new heights in September.
AP reported that confidence sank amid elevated prices and lingering concerns about wages and jobs, with the Labor Department's September jobs report due later in the week. The Conference Board said its survey period ran from Sept. 1 to Sept. 23, but the release does not specify any Federal Reserve action in the period cited.
By the numbers
- 81.9 - Conference Board consumer confidence reading for September
- 6.7 points - month-over-month decline from August's 88.6
- 63.6 - Expectations Index, a third straight monthly decline
Yes, but: The survey captures consumer sentiment, not actual spending or hiring, so it is a signal rather than a full economic reading.
What's next: The Labor Department's September jobs report was due later in the week, according to AP.