#USConsumerConfidence US consumer confidence took a hit in December, with the Consumer Confidence Index declining by 8.1 points to 104.7 ¹. This decrease was largely driven by concerns about the future, with the Expectations Index tumbling 12.6 points to 81.1. This is just above the threshold of 80, which usually signals a recession ahead.

The Present Situation Index, which assesses current business and labor market conditions, fell 1.2 points to 140.2. While consumers' views of the current labor market improved, their assessment of business conditions weakened ¹.

Breaking it down further, we can see that:

- *Consumers' Outlook*: Consumers became less optimistic about future business conditions and incomes. Pessimism about future employment prospects also returned ¹.

- *Inflation Expectations*: Average 12-month inflation expectations stabilized at 5.0% in December, the lowest since March 2020 ¹.

- *Spending Plans*: Consumers plan to spend more on services, like dining out and streaming, but are less enthusiastic about buying big-ticket items or traveling ¹.

These insights are based on the Consumer Confidence Survey conducted by The Conference Board, a non-profit business membership and research association ¹.