U.S. consumers grew more hopeful about their future financial prospects in December and edged away from worst-case recession fears, even as overall confidence slipped for a fifth straight month, according to a Dec. 23 report from the The Conference Board.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell 3.8 points, to 89.1 in December, down from a revised 92.9 in November, reflecting weaker views of current business and labor market conditions. But beneath the headline decline, forward-looking indicators pointed to improving household sentiment, easing inflation anxiety, and a more constructive outlook for markets heading into 2026.
Expectations for families’ future financial situations climbed to their most positive level since January, even as assessments of current finances turned negative for the first time in nearly four years. At the same time, consumers became more optimistic about stock prices, while inflation expectations pulled back following a November uptick….