U.S. consumer confidence edged higher in July as Americans grew slightly more upbeat about the economy’s outlook, though worries over job availability and tariffs lingered, according to a July 29 report from the business think tank The Conference Board.
The group’s Consumer Confidence Index rose to 97.2 from a revised 95.2 in June, reversing last month’s slide as optimism about future economic conditions improved markedly. The gain was driven by improved expectations for future business conditions, incomes, and job prospects, though views on current conditions slipped slightly.
“Consumer confidence has stabilized since May, rebounding from April’s plunge, but remains below last year’s heady levels,” Stephanie Guichard, senior economist for global indicators at The Conference Board, said in a statement. “In July, pessimism about the future receded somewhat, leading to a slight improvement in overall confidence.”…