Consumer Confidence Hits Seven-Month Low—Government Shutdown A ‘Key Concern,' Survey Says

Core Insights - Americans' opinions on the U.S. economy have declined due to concerns about the job market and rising prices, with the government shutdown now being a significant worry [1][4] - The Conference Board's confidence index decreased to 94.6 in October from 95.6 in August, marking the lowest level since April [1][2] Economic Indicators - The confidence index is slightly above Wall Street's projection of 94.2 [2] - Consumers' expectations for the economy over the next six months fell to 71.5, the lowest since June, while present conditions improved slightly from 127.5 to 129.3 [2] Labor Market Sentiment - Metrics regarding the labor market remain low, with 18.4% of consumers indicating jobs are "hard to get" and 27.8% stating jobs are "plentiful," reflecting a slight increase from September [3] Government Shutdown Impact - The ongoing government shutdown has been noted as a key concern among consumers, although rising prices and inflation remain the primary influences on economic views [4]