December 8, 2023
(press release)
–
Preliminary Results for December 2023 Interest Rate and Price Pressures on Consumers (September 8, 2023) Next data release: Friday, December 22, 2023 for Final December data at 10am ET Year-ahead inflation expectations plunged from 4.5% last month to 3.1% this month. The current reading is the lowest since March 2021 and sits just above the 2.3-3.0% range seen in the two years prior to the pandemic. Long-run inflation expectations fell from 3.2% last month to 2.8% this month, matching the second lowest reading seen since July 2021. Long-run inflation expectations remain elevated relative to the 2.2-2.6% range seen in the two years pre-pandemic.
Dec
Nov
Dec
M-M
Y-Y
2023
2023
2022
Change
Change
Index of Consumer Sentiment
69.4
61.3
59.8
+13.2%
+16.1%
Current Economic Conditions
74.0
68.3
59.6
+8.3%
+24.2%
Index of Consumer Expectations
66.4
56.8
60.0
+16.9%
+10.7%
Revisions to Estimates (October 27, 2023)
Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu
Consumer sentiment soared 13% in December, erasing all declines from the previous four months, primarily on the basis of improvements in the expected trajectory of inflation. Sentiment is now about 39% above the all-time low measured in June of 2022 but still well below pre-pandemic levels. All five index components rose this month, led by surges of over 24% for both the short and long-run outlook for business conditions. There was a broad consensus of improved sentiment across age, income, education, geography, and political identification. A growing share of consumers—about 14%—spontaneously mentioned the potential impact of next year’s elections. Sentiment for these consumers appears to incorporate expectations that the elections will likely yield results favorable to the economy.
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