Consumer Confidence Rose Slightly in July

The way Americans view the U.S. economy improved in July, but they appear to still be concerned about the impact of the country’s shifting implementation of tariffs on their economic futures.

The Conference Board, a global, nonprofit think tank and business membership organization, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 97.2 in July, a 2-percent increase from the 95.2 registered the previous month.

The increase in confidence was in line with analysts’ forecasts.

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, according to The Associated Press.

A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market rose 4.5 points to 74.4. That’s still well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead. Consumers’ assessments of their current economic situation inched down by 1.5 points to 131.5.