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BumRushDaShow

(170,963 posts) Fri Apr 24, 2026, 02:07 PM 11 hrs ago

US Consumer Sentiment Drops to Near Four-Year Low in April

Source: US News & World Report/Reuters

April 24, 2026, at 10:24 a.m. April 24, 2026, at 10:24 a.m.

WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer sentiment ⁠fell ⁠to the lowest level ⁠in nearly four years in April as the war with Iran fanned inflation fears, a survey showed on Friday.

The University ‌of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers ‌said its Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to a final reading ⁠of 49.8 ⁠this month, the lowest level since June 2022. The reading was, however, an improvement from the 47.6 reported earlier in the month. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index at 48.0. It was at 53.3 in March.

"After the two-week cease-fire was announced and ⁠gas prices ⁠softened a touch, ⁠sentiment recovered a modest portion of its early-month losses," said Joanne Hsu, the director of the Surveys ⁠of Consumers.

"The Iran conflict appears to influence consumer views primarily through shocks to gasoline and potentially other prices. In contrast, military and diplomatic developments that do not lift supply constraints or lower energy ⁠prices are unlikely to buoy consumers."

Read more: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2026-04-24/us-consumer-sentiment-drops-to-near-four-year-low-in-april

Link to Final April Consumer Sentiment (dynamic page) - https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/

3 replies

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US Consumer Sentiment Drops to Near Four-Year Low in April (Original Post) BumRushDaShow 11 hrs ago OP

UH-OH BlueWavePsych 8 hrs ago #1

Consumer sentiment at record low as Americans feel impact of war in Iran, Yahoo Finance, 4/24/26 progree 8 hrs ago #2

Your link changed its title to: "US Consumer Sentiment Slumps to Record Low in April" . . . progree 8 hrs ago #3

BlueWavePsych

(3,412 posts)

1. UH-OH

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Apr 24, 2026, 04:53 PM

8 hrs ago

progree

(13,049 posts)

2. Consumer sentiment at record low as Americans feel impact of war in Iran, Yahoo Finance, 4/24/26

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Apr 24, 2026, 04:57 PM

8 hrs ago

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/consumer-sentiment-at-record-low-as-americans-feel-impact-of-war-in-iran-142920073.html

US consumer sentiment showed some improvement amid a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, but it's still at record lows, according to new data from the University of Michigan.

((this doesn't make sense on the face of it. What I think is happening is that today's final reading is an improvement (slight) over the preliminary reading we saw April 10, https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143647510 , but it's the lowest final reading on record, going back to 1966 -progree))

The Index of Consumer Sentiment showed consumer sentiment ended April with a final reading of 49.8, ... marking the lowest level on record — below readings taken during the financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and when inflation spiked following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Overall, consumer sentiment fell 6.6% from last month and 4.6% from a year ago.

. . .

Friday's reading from the University of Michigan also showed year-ahead inflation forecasts rising to 4.7% in April from 3.8% in March.

Ultimate source: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/

10 Year Consumer Sentiment graph: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/files/chicsr.pdf

50 years graph: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/files/chicsh.pdf

ETA - I looked at the 10-year graph, and April looks like an exact match with the 2022 low point (I blew the graph way up, and used the cross-hairs tool of Windows Power Toys and could not discern any difference).

Here's what the ultimate source says:

Consumer sentiment ticked down 3.5 index points this month, now comparable to the trough seen in June 2022.

I started looking for tables and data but I'm not finding something that includes the all-households going back to 2022, but oh well.

progree

(13,049 posts)

3. Your link changed its title to: "US Consumer Sentiment Slumps to Record Low in April" . . .

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Apr 24, 2026, 05:27 PM

8 hrs ago

https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2026-04-24/us-consumer-sentiment-drops-to-near-four-year-low-in-april

WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer sentiment fell to a record ⁠low ⁠in April as households shrugged off a ceasefire ⁠in the war with Iran, remaining focused on the inflation fallout from the conflict.

The University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers said its Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to a final reading of 49.8 this month, an all-time low. The reading was a slight improvement, ‌however, from the 47.6 reported earlier in ‌the month.

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