Preliminary consumer sentiment in the United States fell to 47.8 for September 2026, according to data released at 11 Sep 2026 14:00 GMT. The print was lower than the previous period reading of 51.7, and it also came in below the market forecast of 51.
Understanding the Indicator
The index tracks how American households view their personal finances alongside general business and economic conditions. A reading above 50 indicates that positive views outweigh negative ones, while a figure below 50 indicates that negative assessments form the majority of household responses. The survey measures attitudes across both short-term economic prospects and longer-term expectations for the country.
Consumer confidence figures serve as an indicator of household spending behavior, which forms a major portion of overall economic output. When households report weaker attitudes toward their finances and the economic outlook, their spending patterns typically contract, whereas higher sentiment readings generally align with greater willingness to make major purchases.
