Americans Soured on U.S. Economy in June

The rise in how Americans view the U.S. economy didn’t last long.

According to the Conference Board, the way Americans see the economy dropped in June, one month after a slight uptick that happened in May.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index slid to 93 in June, down 5.4 points from 98.4 last month. Consumer confidence is at its lowest level since the Covid pandemic hit the U.S. in March 2020.

The regression surprised economists, who had expected a small uptick this month, the Associated Press reported.

In April, American consumers’ confidence in the economy sank to its lowest reading since May 2020, largely due to anxiety over the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market fell 4.6 points to 69, the AP reported. That’s well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead.

Consumers’ assessments of the present economic situation declined by 6.4 points to 129.1.


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According to the Conference Board report, tariffs and the impact they could have on personal finances remained at the top of respondents’ minds.

Consumers’ fears of a recession during the next 12 months rose slightly in June and remain elevated, according to the survey results.

The Conference Board said that the three components of the expectations Index — business conditions, job prospects, and future income — all weakened.

It was the sixth straight month that respondents’ views of the job market deteriorated, though the reading remains in positive territory as the U.S. labor market continues to churn out jobs.

The Board said respondents’ references to geopolitics and social unrest increased slightly from previous months, but are still significantly lower on the list of consumers’ concerns.