Conference Board: U.S. Consumer Confidence at 7-Month Lows


   
Barani Krishnan
DTN Refined Fuels Market Reporter

   SECAUCUS, NJ (DTN) -- U.S. consumer confidence fell for a fifth straight 
month in December to the lowest in seven months, the Conference Board said in a 
report Tuesday (12/23).

   The Conference Board reported that its headline confidence index dropped to 
89.1 this month, reinforcing a trend seen since August and approaching levels 
last seen back in April. This was despite an upward revision to 92.9 in 
November that reflected a slightly higher sentiment, following the end of a 
record-long federal government shutdown between October and middle of November.

   "Consumer confidence fell again in December and remained well below this 
year's January peak," Dana M. Peterson, chief economist at the Conference 
Board, said in a statement.  "Four of five components of the overall index 
fell, while one was at a level signaling notable weakness."

   The confidence index is a gauge of the household optimism that fuels roughly 
70% of the U.S. economy through personal spending and is closely watched by 
market analysts.

   While the short-term expectations index for personal income and business 
conditions remained stable at 70.7, the confidence index itself has remained 
below the recession-warning threshold for 11 months.

   Consumers' assessments of their current economic situation tumbled by nearly 
10 points, primarily driven by concerns over rising prices despite various 
claims from the White House regarding inflation.

   Write-in survey responses highlighted that the combination of high cost of 
living and sweeping trade policies remained the primary source of economic 
stress for most domestic households today.

   The deteriorating sentiment underscores the growing challenges for the 
broader economy as consumers struggle with the dual pressures of restrictive 
monetary policy and complex global trade dynamics.

    




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