U.S. June Consumer Confidence Index at 91.2, Below Expectations
Claire Weston
The Conference Board's June consumer confidence index came in at 91.2, missing the 94.8 consensus; May was revised down too. The expectations gauge stays below the recession-warning threshold, reinforcing signs of a slowdown.
Where exactly did the data disappoint?
The Conference Board's June consumer confidence index printed 91.2, below the 94.8 market consensus.
May's reading was revised down to 90.6 from a previously reported 93.1 — This means → not only did June miss, but last month's "okay" number was also weaker than thought.
Back-to-back misses plus a downward revision signal that fading sentiment is not a one-month blip.
What are consumers worried about?
The present-situation index (how people feel about the economy right now) stood at 116.4, still in a normal range.
The expectations index (outlook for the next six months) came in at just 74.4, remaining below the 80 boom-bust threshold.
In plain terms = people feel "things are fine for now," but are clearly uneasy about the next half-year.
Why does the 80 line matter so much?
80 is the Conference Board's threshold for the expectations index; readings below it are typically treated as a signal of rising recession risk.
The index has stayed below that line for consecutive readings. This reflects a sustained contraction in consumer confidence around jobs and income.
This means → if the trend continues, consumer spending — the biggest engine of the US economy — could come under further pressure.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.