US consumer confidence fell sharply in September as Americans grew more concerned about inflation, household finances and employment prospects, according to the Conference Board.
The Consumer Confidence Index dropped 6.7 points to 81.9, significantly below the 89 forecast by economists surveyed by Dow Jones. The Present Situation Index declined 7.9 points to 109.3, while the Expectations Index fell 5.9 points to 63.6.
Inflation expectations also increased. Consumers now expect inflation of 6.1% over the coming period, up 0.3 percentage points from August.
Labor market concerns intensified as the gap between Americans saying jobs are plentiful and those finding them difficult to obtain narrowed to 1.7%.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 7.08 million job openings in August, down 256,000 from July.
Related Tweet:
Consumer optimism slides sharply as fears escalate over rising prices and jobs https://t.co/Vh3RGHR7rZ
— CNBC (@CNBC) September 29, 2026
Also Read:
TIPP Staff
