U.S. consumer confidence weakened further in April, with the closely watched University of Michigan Survey of Consumers reporting sentiment at 49.8, down 6.6% from March's reading of 53.3.
The latest figure also marks a 4.6% decline year-on-year and places sentiment near lows last seen in mid-2022, underscoring continued pressure on household confidence.
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According to survey director Joanne Hsu, declines were recorded across political affiliation, income groups, age brackets and education levels. Consumers also became more pessimistic about business conditions in both the short and long term.
The report noted that a temporary cease-fire in regional tensions and softer petrol prices helped sentiment recover slightly later in the month. However, the Iran conflict appears to have influenced households mainly through concerns over fuel prices and broader inflationary effects.
Inflation expectations moved sharply higher. One-year inflation expectations rose from 3.8% in March to 4.7% in April, the largest monthly increase since April 2025. Meanwhile, long-run inflation expectations climbed from around 3.2–3.3% in recent months to 3.5%, the highest level since October 2025. For retailers and home furnishings businesses, weaker sentiment can be significant because discretionary purchases such as furniture, flooring, décor and renovations are often delayed when consumers feel uncertain about prices or the economy.
The results suggest that while employment and income trends may still support spending in some areas, inflation anxiety and energy-price sensitivity remain major constraints on consumer demand heading into mid-2026.
Source: www.floordaily.net
