Archive · 28 Jan 2026
US Consumer Confidence Hits Decade Low Amid Recession Fears
People in the US are feeling less confident about the economy than they have in a long time.
This is because things like prices for food and gas are going up, and there are worries about jobs.
The government's new taxes on imports, called tariffs, are making people nervous too.
Even though the economy is still growing, many Americans are worried about what might happen in the future.
Experts are concerned that these worries could mean the economy is heading for a bad time called a recession.
The number of people who think jobs are hard to get has gone up, and fewer people think jobs are easy to find.
This makes people worried about the future of the job market.
The drop in confidence is seen across different age and income groups, showing that many people are feeling the same way.
US consumer confidence index fell to 84.5 in January 2026, the lowest since May 2014.
Short-term expectations index dropped to 65.1, below the 80 mark that signals recession.
Concerns over inflation, jobs, and tariffs have increased significantly.
Confidence in the labor market weakened, with fewer people saying jobs are plentiful.
Job creation slowed sharply in 2025, with only 584,000 jobs added compared to over 2 million in 2024.
- Who
- American consumers and economists
- What
- Consumer confidence in the US economy has dropped to a decade low, raising recession fears
- When
- January 2026
- Where
- United States
- Why
- Due to concerns over inflation, jobs, and tariffs, particularly those imposed by Donald Trump
- Consumer Confidence Index
- 84.5 (January 2026)
- Short-term Expectations Index
- 65.1 (January 2026)
- Current Situation Index
- 113.7 (January 2026)
- Jobs Plentiful
- 23.9% (January 2026)
- Jobs Hard to Get
- 20.8% (January 2026)
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.4%
- Jobs Added in 2025
- 584,000
- Jobs Added in 2024
- 2 million+