Overview

• The Conference Board index dipped 1.3 points to 97.4 in August, a decline from July’s revised 98.7 yet slightly above economists’ forecasts.
• The Present Situation Index eased to 131.2 while the Expectations Index fell to 74.8, staying below the level that has historically signaled heightened recession risk.
• Consumers’ views of job availability weakened for an eighth straight month, reflecting July payroll growth of 73,000, sizable downward BLS revisions, and a 4.2% unemployment rate.
• Twelve‑month inflation expectations rose to 6.2% as survey write‑ins increasingly cited tariffs, with more respondents flagging high prices for essentials like food and groceries.
• Spending plans were mixed—car‑purchase intentions increased as plans for discretionary buys and vacations slipped, home‑buying intentions held steady, confidence fell for under‑35s but rose for those over 55, and California posted a relative improvement.