Consumer Sentiment Holds Steady in Final October Reading on Purchasing-Power Concerns

Final figure revised up from the preliminary reading but remains 10% below a year ago as rising interest rates sink buying conditions for durable goods.

Consumer sentiment slipped 0.2% in October in the final reading from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, with the Index of Consumer Sentiment at 48.0, down from 48.1 in September and 10.4% below the 53.6 recorded in October 2025. The final figure was revised up from the preliminary October reading of 46.3 but still marks the lowest level since May and the third consecutive monthly decline.

Consumer sentiment is considered a leading indicator of