May 13, 2022
(press release)
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Preliminary Results for May 2022 May Apr May M-M Y-Y Next data release: Friday, May 27, 2022 for Final May data at 10am ET Surveys of Consumers Marks Leadership Change Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu
2022 2022 2021 Change Change
Index of Consumer Sentiment 59.1 65.2 82.9 -9.4% -28.7%
Current Economic Conditions 63.6 69.4 89.4 -8.4% -28.9%
Index of Consumer Expectations 56.3 62.5 78.8 -9.9% -28.6%
Consumer sentiment declined by 9.4% from April, reversing gains realized that month. These declines were broad based--for current economic conditions as well as consumer expectations, and visible across income, age, education, geography, and political affiliation--continuing the general downward trend in sentiment over the past year. Consumers' assessment of their current financial situation relative to a year ago is at its lowest reading since 2013, with 36% of consumers attributing their negative assessment to inflation. Buying conditions for durables reached its lowest reading since the question began appearing on the monthly surveys in 1978, again primarily due to high prices.
The median expected year-ahead inflation rate was 5.4%, little changed over the last three months, and up from 4.6% in May 2021. The mean was considerably higher at 7.4%, reflecting substantial variation in price changes across types of goods and services, and in household spending patterns. At the same time, long term inflation expectations remain well-anchored with a median of 3.0%, settling within the 2.9 to 3.1% range seen over the last 10 months.
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