BlockBeats News, July 18th, Joanne Hsu, Director of Consumer Surveys at the University of Michigan, stated that U.S. consumer confidence showed little change compared to June, edging up slightly by about 1 point to 61.8. Although the index hit a five-month high, it is still about 16% lower than in December 2024 and well below historical averages. Unless consumers are convinced that inflation is unlikely to worsen, such as trade policies stabilizing in the foreseeable future, they are unlikely to regain confidence in the economy.
The current survey results show little impact on consumer confidence from other policy changes (including recently passed tax and spending bills). Expectations for inflation over the next year declined for the second consecutive month, dropping from 5.0% last month to 4.4% this month.
Long-term inflation expectations fell for the third consecutive month, dropping from 4.0% in June to 3.6% in July. Both of these indices are at their lowest levels since February 2025 but remain above the levels in December 2024, indicating that consumers still perceive a significant risk of future inflation increases. (FXStreet)