Free investing benefits designed for ambitious investors including stock breakout alerts, momentum tracking, and institutional-quality market research. American consumers have sustained a historic level of economic pessimism, with the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers hitting all-time lows in May, according to a preliminary reading released last week. Economists point to lingering scars from rapid inflation, repeated economic disruptions, and policy uncertainty as key factors preventing a rebound in household confidence.
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- The University of Michigan’s preliminary May reading registered all-time lows, marking a stark decline after years of elevated inflation and economic uncertainty.
- Multiple consumer confidence surveys, including the Conference Board’s measure, show that sentiment has not fully recovered from the pandemic’s economic shock.
- Economists attribute the prolonged pessimism to a cumulative effect of disruptions: COVID-19, geopolitical conflicts, and trade policy shifts under President Trump’s tariff regime.
- The Conference Board’s Yelena Shulyatyeva described the situation as “a series of shocks” that leaves consumers with little respite, potentially weighing on future spending patterns.
- Despite cooling annual inflation, households appear focused on past price increases, suggesting a lag in perception that may extend the period of low confidence.
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Key Highlights
American consumers have been pessimistic for so long that economists are now questioning when — or even if — households will ever feel financially better off. The University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, a closely watched bellwether, hit all-time lows in May, according to a preliminary reading released last week. That is just one of several consumer opinion surveys showing Americans have never regained confidence in the U.S. economy since the COVID-19 pandemic struck more than six years ago.
Economists told CNBC that consumers remain scarred from years of rapid price increases, even as the annual inflation rate has cooled. On top of that, Americans are worn out by a salvo of economic disruptions — from COVID to wars to President Donald Trump’s tariffs — that have defined the current decade.
"It's a series of shocks," said Yelena Shulyatyeva, senior economist at the Conference Board, which conducts another popular gauge of economic confidence. "Consumers don't get a break."
Economists and monetary policymakers continue to monitor these sentiment readings closely, as consumer spending accounts for a significant portion of U.S. economic activity. The persistent gloom raises concerns about whether cautious spending behavior could slow overall growth in the months ahead.
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Expert Insights
The sustained consumer pessimism signals a potential headwind for the broader economy, as cautious spending could temper growth even if macroeconomic data improves. Economists suggest that the psychological impact of multiple disruptions may require an extended period of stability — free from major shocks — before households regain a sense of financial security.
Yelena Shulyatyeva’s observation that “consumers don’t get a break” underscores the challenge for policymakers: each new disruption resets the recovery clock, making it difficult for confidence to find a lasting foothold. The Conference Board’s data, along with the Michigan survey, indicates that sentiment recovery may lag behind other economic indicators such as employment or GDP growth.
For market participants, the disconnect between hard data and consumer mood could influence sectors sensitive to discretionary spending, such as retail and hospitality. However, no direct stock recommendations or price targets are warranted based solely on sentiment surveys. The ultimate path of consumer confidence will likely depend on the trajectory of inflation, labor market conditions, and the absence of further macroeconomic shocks in the coming quarters.
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