# US consumer confidence falls to 81.9 in September as worries about prices hit a new high

> The Conference Board's index fell 6.7 points. Consumers rated current business conditions negatively for the first time since September 2024 and more expect higher interest rates.

- Canonical URL: https://forextradingcommunity.com/news/us-consumer-confidence-september-2026/
- Type: Data
- Published: 2026-10-06
- Updated: 2026-10-06
- Publisher: Forex Trading Community (https://forextradingcommunity.com), FTC Editorial Team
- Currencies: USD

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.7 points to 81.9 (1985 = 100) in September 2026, from 88.6 in August, the organisation said on 29 September. The survey ran from 1 to 23 September, a period that included the Federal Reserve's rate increase and what the Board calls ongoing geopolitical tensions.

## The two halves of the index

- **Present Situation Index**: 109.3, down 7.9 points. Net views of current business conditions fell 3.4 points to −1.9%, and the labour market differential (the share saying jobs are plentiful minus those saying they are hard to get) fell 2.5 points to +1.7%
- **Expectations Index**: 63.6, down 5.9 points, its third consecutive monthly decline. Net expectations for business conditions fell 3.2 points to −9.5%, for the labour market 3.1 points to −14.4%, and for household income 3.0 points to +2.5%

Dana Peterson, the Conference Board's chief economist, said consumers' assessment of current business conditions turned negative for the first time since September 2024, and that references to prices, the high cost of goods and services, and oil and gas prices in particular rose to new heights in write-in responses, reflecting September's surge in fuel costs. Comments about war and conflict eased but remained elevated.

## Inflation, rates and personal finances

- Average 12-month inflation expectations rose 0.3 point to 6.1% and the median to 5.1%
- The share expecting higher interest rates over the next 12 months jumped 5.2 points to 68.4%
- For only the second time since the question was introduced four years ago, more consumers said their family's finances were "bad" than "good"
- The share saying a US recession in the next 12 months is "somewhat likely" rose; these recession questions are not part of the index

Confidence fell across all political affiliations, and on a six-month moving average basis across all age groups and nearly all income groups.

## Why it matters for the dollar

Consumer spending is the largest part of US GDP, and people's expectations of prices and rates feed back into it. The sentiment gauge from the University of Michigan was also soft in September ([report](/news/us-consumer-sentiment-september-2026/)), and PCE inflation was 3.4% in August ([report](/news/us-pce-inflation-august-2026/)). The Fed's next decision is on 28 October. The Conference Board's next release is due at the end of October. Live prices: [EUR/USD](/markets/eur-usd/).

## Sources

- [The Conference Board: US Consumer Confidence Fell in September, 29 September 2026](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-consumer-confidence-fell-in-september-302892867.html)

## Common questions

### What was US consumer confidence in September 2026?

The Conference Board index fell 6.7 points to 81.9 from 88.6 in August. The Present Situation Index was 109.3 and the Expectations Index 63.6.

### Why did US consumer confidence fall in September 2026?

The Conference Board points to prices, particularly fuel costs, and to concerns about jobs and the economy, in a survey period that included the Fed's rate increase.

### What do consumers expect for inflation and interest rates?

Average 12-month inflation expectations rose 0.3 point to 6.1% and the share expecting higher interest rates over the next year jumped 5.2 points to 68.4%.

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