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1h ago

U.S. Consumer Confidence Drops to 81.9, Lowest Since 2014

Rising inflation, a recent Fed rate increase and a September spike in gasoline prices pushed short-term expectations to levels that historically signal recession risk.

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The per-gallon prices are displayed above the various grades of fuel available at a pump at a QuikTrip gasoline station Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Greenwood Village, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A shopper walks past a partially empty dairy section at a grocery store ahead of an expected winter storm spreading across the United States, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 24, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
A motorist fills up the fuel tank of a vehicle at a QuikTrip gasoline stop Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Greenwood Village, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Overview

  • The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.7 points to 81.9 for September, marking the lowest reading since 2014 and missing the economist consensus.
  • Measures of current conditions slid sharply with the Present Situation Index down to 109.3 and consumers' net view of their family finances turning negative for the first time recently.
  • The Expectations Index fell to 63.6, its third straight monthly decline, as net expectations for business conditions and the labor market turned more pessimistic.
  • Household inflation expectations rose to a 12-month average of 6.1% and 68.4% of respondents now expect higher interest rates over the next year, driven by higher prices and a fuel-price surge during the survey period.
  • The drop heightens short-term recession concerns because low confidence tends to foreshadow weaker consumer spending, and the reading is consistent with other September sentiment measures and recent Fed and inflation developments.