May’s Conference Board confidence index fell to 93.1, defying expectations, but risks from Iran and fuel prices may pressure sentiment ahead.
US consumer confidence edged down to 93.1 in May from an upwardly revised 93.8 in April, outperforming forecasts of 92.0. The marginal decline contrasts with other sentiment gauges, which have shown steeper drops in recent months.
The labor market differential narrowed to 6.9, reflecting weaker job-finding expectations, while buying plans softened and inflation concerns persisted. Analysts warn that ongoing conflict in Iran and elevated gasoline prices could further erode confidence in coming months.
Despite the modest headline decline, survey details reveal growing pessimism, with respondents increasingly citing prices and geopolitical risks as key economic concerns.