Consumer attitudes toward the economy reversed course as sentiment fell by nearly 8% so far for August. The University of Michigan’s monthly preliminary consumer sentiment survey reported a sharp decline. On a month-over-month basis, consumer sentiment dropped by 7.6%, ending the nation’s two-month streak of consecutive growth. The decline is more severe on an annual…
As many Americans blasted their ACs and took to the roads for summer vacations in July, the cost of energy decreased slightly while inflation overall rose slowly. For the month of July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased slightly by 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis. This…
A resilient labor market may finally be bowing under the pressure of back-and-forth tariffs, the now five-month-long war against Iran and inflationary pressure on wages, with the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reporting a decrease of 23,000 payrolls in July with downward revisions of previous months. Most sectors lost jobs, with healthcare a notable…
The latest University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, released July 31, showed that Americans are optimistic about the economy. With June’s number at 49.5, the final July index of 55.2 represents a worthy uptick, showing that consumers are becoming more positive about their personal financials and the ongoing economic environment. “Consumer sentiment confirmed its early-month…
Inflation cooled in June according to the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), meeting economists’ expectations for the month. However, the trend may not continue as the Iranian conflict persists. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index slipped 0.1% month-over-month in June, a reversal of the 0.7% jump seen in May. This…
Up and down, up and down. Like a yo-yo dieter’s weight, consumer confidence in the U.S. seems to maintain a consistent pattern. It rose in June when tensions in the Middle East seemed to abate, following a dip in May, likely due to the war with Iran heating up. A ceasefire this past April had…
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Housing has spent 2026 running in place, and Zonda Chief Economist Ali Wolf doesn’t expect the picture to change much before 2027. Wolf delivered the national portion of Zonda’s third quarter housing market forecast webinar on Tuesday, saying that existing- and new-home sales are tracking essentially flat with 2025, with the firm now calling 2026…
As 2026 moves forward amid rising inflation and a fairly soft labor market, are leading indicators pointing to a better near-term economy? The nonprofit research firm The Conference Board’s latest monthly Leading Economic Indicators report found a slight decline as the Board’s Leading Economic Index hit 99.1 in June, a 0.2% downturn compared to the…
Following consumer sentiment rising in June, the latest University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index improved further by 9.9% in July, reaching 54.4. However, the indicator declined by 11.8% on an annual basis. The Current Economic Conditions Index rose by 15.1% month-over-month, yet plummeted 19.3% year-over-year to stand at 54.9 in July. Meanwhile, the Index of…
Across the first half of 2026, numerous economic reports revealed high or rising inflation. Some officials of the Federal Reserve, which remains focused on bringing inflation down, have suggested that interest rate hikes could be necessary if inflation does not fall. The latest data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), maintained by the U.S. Bureau…
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