Third straight monthly decline as inflation worries weigh on consumers. Consumer sentiment fell for the third consecutive month in May, dropping below its previous historical trough as supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz drove gasoline prices higher and inflation worries spread, according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The Index of Consumer […]

Current conditions fall 9% as gasoline and tariff concerns mount; expectations tick up slightly. Consumer sentiment held near its mid-2022 trough in the preliminary May 2026 reading from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, with a 9% drop in current economic conditions offsetting a marginal uptick in the expectations index as households continued to […]

Consumer sentiment slid for the second consecutive month in April, reaching a level comparable to the mid-2022 trough as the Iran conflict, elevated gasoline prices and sustained concerns over the cost of durable goods weighed on household views, according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers final release issued April 24. The Index of […]

Sentiment down to historic low as Iran conflict deepens. Consumer sentiment tumbled in the preliminary April 2026 reading from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, extending a slide that began with the onset of the U.S. military conflict in Iran and driving year-ahead inflation expectations to their highest level in a year. The Index […]

Iran conflict and gas prices weigh on outlook. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index fell sharply in the final March reading, dropping well below both its preliminary estimate and the prior month as the U.S. military conflict in Iran and surging gasoline prices rattled consumers across income levels and political affiliations. The index came […]

Iran conflict weighs on outlook. Consumer sentiment fell to its lowest level of the year in March as the U.S. military conflict in Iran disrupted an early-month improvement, according to preliminary results from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The Index of Consumer Sentiment dropped to 55.5 in the preliminary March reading, down 1.9% […]

Sentiment remains significantly below year ago levels. Consumer sentiment stagnated this month with very little change, just 0.2 index points higher than January, according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 56.6 in the February 2026 survey, up 0.4% from 56.4 in January, but the index remains 12.5% […]

The sentiment index remains 21% below year-ago level. Nearly three-quarters of consumers say it’s a bad time to buy a vehicle. Consumer sentiment rose 3.5 points in January to 56.4, up from 52.9 in December but remaining more than 20% below the January 2025 reading of 71.7, according to the University of Michigan Surveys of […]

University of Michigan reports index reached 54.0 in early January, highest reading since September 2025 but nearly 25% below year-ago levels. Consumer sentiment rose for the second consecutive month in early January, according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The Consumer Sentiment Index reached 54.0 in preliminary January results, up 2.1% from 52.9 […]