Consumer Sentiment Rises 6.3% to Three-Month High in Preliminary November Reading

Gains were concentrated among independents as complaints about high prices reached their highest level since May.

Consumer sentiment rose 6.3% in the preliminary November reading from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, with the Index of Consumer Sentiment climbing to 51.0 from 48.0 in October, its highest level since August. The reading was unchanged from November 2025.

Consumer sentiment is considered a leading indicator of economic activity, and the gauge bears on whether households keep driving, absorb higher insurance premiums and authorize discretionary vehicle repairs. Cost-of-living concerns continued to dominate consumer views even as the index rose, keeping affordability