US consumer confidence falls sharply in April

US consumer confidence plunged in April for the fifth consecutive month. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell to 86.0—its lowest level since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sharpest drop came from the Expectations Index, which measures consumers’ outlook for the next six months. It sank to 54.4, the lowest reading since October 2011 and far below the recession threshold of 80. Present conditions held relatively steady, but concerns about future income and job availability surged.

Nearly a third of respondents expect fewer jobs ahead—comparable to levels seen during the 2009 recession. Income expectations also turned negative for the first time in five years. High inflation expectations, renewed tariff concerns, and stock market volatility contributed to the worsening mood. Notably, mentions of tariffs reached a record high in write-in responses.

Confidence declined across all political affiliations, with the steepest drops among 35–55-year-olds and high-income households. Purchasing plans for homes, cars, vacations, and most services weakened, and dining out—a key discretionary spending indicator—saw one of its largest month-on-month declines on record.

Despite some improvement in views of current business conditions, more Americans now anticipate a recession in the coming year, and expectations for higher interest rates continue to rise.

The survey reflects growing anxiety that personal finances may soon suffer amid broader economic uncertainty.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
Subediting: M. S. Salama