Index remains below year-ago levels.
Consumer sentiment rose to its highest level in five months in the preliminary July 2026 reading from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, as a recent easing in gasoline prices lifted households for a second straight month. The Index of Consumer Sentiment climbed to 54.4 from 49.5 in June, a gain of 9.9% and the strongest reading since February, though it stayed 11.8% below its year-ago level.
Consumer sentiment is a leading indicator of economic activity, and the gauge bears on whether households keep driving, absorb higher insurance premiums and authorize discretionary vehicle repairs.
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