US Consumer Confidence Falls to 89.1 in December

U.S. consumer confidence declined in December, reaching its lowest level since sweeping tariffs were imposed earlier in the year, as Americans expressed growing worries over high prices and their economic effects. The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dropped 3.8 points to 89.1 from an upwardly revised 92.9 in November. The reading marked the fifth straight monthly decline overall and came after a brief uptick tied to the end of a federal government shutdown.

The index's two main components painted a mixed but concerning picture. Consumers' assessment of current economic conditions fell sharply by 9.5 points to 116.8, reflecting a pessimistic turn in views of the present situation. Meanwhile, the expectations index, which gauges short-term outlooks for income, business conditions and the job market, held steady at 70.7. That figure remained well below the 80 threshold often seen as a recession signal, marking the 11th consecutive month under that level and pushing a key economic indicator deeper into worrisome territory.

Survey respondents highlighted persistent concerns about inflation and prices as their top issues, with tariffs emerging as a...