Consumer confidence in the U.S. bounced back in May after five months of decline, boosted by a temporary trade truce between Washington and Beijing, the Conference Board reported Tuesday.
The Board’s consumer confidence index jumped 12.3 points to 98.0, far exceeding expectations of 87.0, according to a Reuters poll of economists.
🚨 Consumer Confidence for May STRONGER THAN EXPECTED on optimism for trade deals!@CNBC: 'The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index leaped to 98.0, a 12.3-point increase from April.' pic.twitter.com/l8npvNJ31c
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 27, 2025
About half the survey’s responses came after May 12, when the White House announced a 90-day reduction in tariffs on Chinese goods, from 145% down to 30%, a move seen as easing pressure on consumers and businesses.
“The rebound was already visible before the May 12 U.S.-China trade deal but gained momentum afterwards,” said Stephanie Guichard, senior economist at the Conference Board.
Still, Americans remain wary of inflation and the impact of tariffs. “Tariffs are still on top of consumers’ minds,” Guichard noted, referencing open-ended survey responses.
