Conference Board consumer confidence July came in at 90.8, below the 92.3 estimate, according to data released on Tuesday.
Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist at The Conference Board, said consumer confidence eased a little in July. She said the broader trend has pointed down since late 2021. Peterson also said the Present Situation Index fell for a third straight month. Meanwhile, the Expectations Index stayed in negative territory.
She said consumers felt less upbeat about current business conditions. They were also a bit less positive about the labor market. Looking ahead, consumers saw little change in business conditions over the next six months. However, views on the labor market turned slightly less negative, while income expectations softened but stayed broadly optimistic.
Conference Board Consumer Confidence July Details
The source article said the Present Situation measure moved lower on the chart. In contrast, the Expectations measure moved sideways. It also noted that an Expectations Index below 80 has historically linked to higher recession risk. That index has stayed below 80 for most of 2025 and 2026.
The Conference Board did not give a numerical reading for inflation expectations in this release. Instead, it said the chart showed those levels had pulled back after a recent jump.
Why Markets Watch the Report
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index tracks how optimistic or pessimistic U.S. consumers are about current and future economic conditions. Because consumer spending makes up about two-thirds of the U.S. economy, markets watch the report closely. Additionally, traders follow the Expectations Index and the labor market differential for signals on the economy and future Federal Reserve policy.
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Source: InvestingLive
