U.S. consumer confidence declined slightly this month as gas prices stayed high and inflation remained elevated, a sharp contrast to soaring stock prices that have neared record levels.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence declined slightly this month as gas prices stayed high and inflation remained elevated, a sharp contrast to soaring stock prices hover near record levels.

The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index slipped 0.7 points to 93.1 in May, the first decline after three months of gains. The measure hasn’t fallen as much this year as other gauges of consumer attitudes, but it has been stuck at a low level since the pandemic. Before COVID-19, it regularly reached 130.

A separate gauge of consumer sentiment released last week by the University of Michigan fell to a record low this month. Soaring gas and food costs have worsened inflation that is outpacing the average growth in paychecks, reducing most Americans’ purchasing power. Americans have soured on President Trump’s economic policies, polls show, potentially creating problems for Republicans heading into the midterm elections.

  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.worldOP
    411·
    9 days ago

    Absolute absurdity. Their argument on inflation was that it was slower, as if that helps people who’ve already been price-gouged for years at that point.

    Give me a break. The parties are absolutely the same on how little they give a shit about our poverty. (But they’ll vote in bipartisan fashion when the crash comes and their stock portfolios need a bailout, guaranteed.)