US consumer confidence dips in October
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The news: US consumer confidence fell in October for the third month running as concerns grow over the state of the economy and labour market.
The numbers: The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence gauge dipped by 1 point in October to 94.6, its lowest point since April, while a measure of expectations for the next six months fell in October to 71.5 and a metric of present conditions increased.
The context: Job growth has slowed and inflation remains above the target set by the US Federal Reserve, while uncertainty driven by US President Donald Trump’s trade policies continues to sow economic instability.
"Consumers' write-in responses were led by references to prices and inflation, which continued to be the main topic influencing consumers' views of the economy," said Stephanie Guichard, senior economist, global indicators at The Conference Board.
"The write-in comments remained mostly negative overall, but less so than in previous months," Guichard added. "References to US politics were up notably, with the ongoing government shutdown mentioned multiple times as a key concern."
The headline index decrease came as the expectations index slid to 71.5 in October from 74.4 in September. Expectations have been below the threshold of 80 that typically signals a recession ahead since February 2025.
The source: Conference Board
