Consumer sentiment toward the economy, a vital metric for gauging whether consumers are feeling comfortable enough to make major purchases, showed positive signs at the outset of 2026. However, per the latest findings from the University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers, sentiment has started to dip. The index of Consumer Sentiment fell from 56.6 in…
At the January Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, the Federal Reserve chose to keep interest rates unchanged. Both Fed Governor Michelle Bowman (who is a voting member of the committee) and retiring Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic (who is not) have characterized the current U.S. economy as “resilient,” where annual inflation has stayed static,…
Consumer sentiment showed minor improvements as the first month of 2026 nears its close, with expectations toward the future looking mostly positive, according to the latest data. The University of Michigan’s latest Survey of Consumers found that the Index of Consumer Sentiment grew to 56.4 in January, up 3.5 points or 6.6% from December. The…
As the year ends, how are consumers—such as potential homebuyers—feeling about the market going into 2026? Per the latest findings from the University of Michigan’s monthly Consumer Sentiment report, sentiment was slightly improved in December compared to November, confirming the sentiment trajectory from the University of Michigan’s preliminary report earlier this month. Compared to November…
Throughout 2025, consumer sentiment toward the economy has declined noticeably—does the end of the year bring any turnaround? According to a preliminary report on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan (scheduled ahead of the final December report two weeks out), consumer sentiment improved slightly month-over-month. The closely watched index of consumer sentiment came in…
While the uncertainty of the government shutdown is now more than a week behind us, consumer outlook on the economy has shown little improvement, per the latest index of Consumer Sentiment from the University of Michigan. In the latest index, consumer sentiment was reported at a near record low of 51; for reference, 100 is…
Without an end in sight for the government shutdown, consumer sentiment is reflecting that uncertainty, according to the latest data from the University of Michigan. The preliminary results for the Index of Consumer Sentiment came in at 50.3, down 6.2% from October’s reading of 53.6. Year-over-year, there was a 29.9% drop from 71.8 in November…
The latest monthly data from the University of Michigan’s flagship survey of consumer sentiment found less consumers mentioning interest rates as a barrier to big purchases like homes and cars, while the ongoing government shutdown so far is not having a huge impact on how people view the economy. At the same time, sentiment fell…