Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

5 hours ago

Will Valadao Spoil Trump’s Plan for July 4th ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Signing?

6 hours ago

Shaver Lake and Reedley 4th of July Shows Are Wednesday. Who Else Is Celebrating?

9 hours ago

Elon Musk Says Senate Bill Would Destroy Jobs and Harm US

9 hours ago

Israel Strikes Pound Gaza, Killing 60, Ahead of US Talks on Ceasefire

11 hours ago

Trump’s Administration Finds Harvard Violated Students’ Civil Rights, WSJ Reports

11 hours ago

How Did the Supreme Court Rule? Here’s a Look at the Big Cases

2 days ago
Consumer Confidence Bounces Back, Ending Year on High Note
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 3 years ago on
December 21, 2022

Share

The confidence of American consumers rebounded this month to end the year on a high note despite high inflation, rising interest rates that have made credit cards and mortgages more expensive, and growing anxiety about a possible recession.

The Conference Board reported Wednesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 108.3 in December, up from 101.4 in November. It’s a sharp rebound, pushing the index to its highest level since April. Last month’s figure was the lowest since July.

The business research group’s present situation index — which measures consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions — also rose, to 147.2 this month from 138.3 in November.

The board’s expectations index — a measure of consumers’ six-month outlook for income, business and labor conditions — rose to 82.4 from 76.7. Readings near or below 80 are associated with recession.

Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at the Conference Board, noted that inflation expectations retreated in December to their lowest level since September of last year, mostly due to recent declines in gas prices. The number of people saying they planned to go on vacations rose, but the number of those intending to purchase homes and big-ticket appliances declined.

“This shift in consumers’ preference from big-ticket items to services will continue in 2023, as will headwinds from inflation and interest rate hikes,” Franco said.

Getting a clear read on recent consumer behavior has been tricky.

The government reported last week that Americans cut back sharply on retail spending in November as the holiday shopping season began. High prices and rising interest rates are forcing families, particularly lower income households, to make harder decisions about what they buy.

Retail sales fell 0.6% from October to November after a sharp 1.3% rise the previous month. However, Americans opened their wallets on Black Friday and over the post-Thanksgiving weekend. Spending on Black Friday jumped 12% compared with a year ago, according to MasterCard Spending Pulse, though that figure is not adjusted for inflation.

And on so-called “Cyber Monday” earlier this week Americans boosted their online spending by 5.8% from a year earlier, Adobe Analytics said.

Americans have been resilient in their spending since inflation first began to spike almost 18 months ago, but the capacity to maintain that pace during a period of high inflation may have begun to ebb. Inflation has retreated from the four-decade high it reached this summer but remains elevated, enough to erode the spending power of Americans. Prices were 7.1% higher in November than they were a year ago.

A rising number of households are stepping up their use of credit cards — or “buy now, pay later” plans as prices rise, and that can’t continue indefinitely.

Americans are also dipping into savings, which rose sharply during the pandemic as government stimulus checks and the postponement of spending on travel and entertainment fattened bank accounts.

The savings rate in October slid to 2.3%, the lowest level since 2005.

The willingness to buy a home has faded with mortgage rates that have doubled in the past year. The National Association of Realtors reported Wednesday that sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slowed for the tenth consecutive month in November. Sales plunged 35.4% from November last year.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Seek Public’s Help in Finding Missing 82-Year-Old Woman

DON'T MISS

Fresno Woman Killed in Head-On Collision, CHP Investigating

DON'T MISS

Musk Vows to Punish Lawmakers Who Back Trump’s Spending Bill

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for $4.2 Million Tech Startup Fraud

DON'T MISS

Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty in Murders of Four Idaho Students, ABC News Reports

DON'T MISS

Wildfire Near Lake Madera Country Estates Burns 12 Acres, Now 100% Contained

DON'T MISS

Fresno County CHP Arrest Two in Interstate 5 Drug, Gun, and Counterfeit Money Bust

DON'T MISS

California Seizes Over 600,000 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks. Newsom Calls for Safe Celebrations

DON'T MISS

Where Trade Talks Stand With Major US Partners Ahead of Tariffs-Hike Deadline

DON'T MISS

Labor Icon Huerta Breaks Ground on Fresno Park Bearing Her Name

UP NEXT

CA’s Population Shrank in Trump’s First Immigration Crackdown. It Could Happen Again

UP NEXT

Oil Prices Slip on Easing Middle East Risks

UP NEXT

US Banks Rise as Fed Stress Test Success Clears Path for Payouts

UP NEXT

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

UP NEXT

S&P 500, Nasdaq Near Record Highs as Rate-Cut Bets Creep Up

UP NEXT

Republicans Dangle Reprieve From Tax Retaliation as Trump Bill Heads Toward Votes

UP NEXT

Oil Prices Gain on Signs of Strong US Demand

UP NEXT

S&P 500, Nasdaq Approach Record High as Middle East Tensions Ease

UP NEXT

Nasdaq 100 Notches First Record High Close Since February

UP NEXT

California Politicians Ignore Ag’s Troubles, but Boost Movie Business

Fresno Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for $4.2 Million Tech Startup Fraud

3 hours ago

Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty in Murders of Four Idaho Students, ABC News Reports

3 hours ago

Wildfire Near Lake Madera Country Estates Burns 12 Acres, Now 100% Contained

3 hours ago

Fresno County CHP Arrest Two in Interstate 5 Drug, Gun, and Counterfeit Money Bust

4 hours ago

California Seizes Over 600,000 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks. Newsom Calls for Safe Celebrations

4 hours ago

Where Trade Talks Stand With Major US Partners Ahead of Tariffs-Hike Deadline

4 hours ago

Labor Icon Huerta Breaks Ground on Fresno Park Bearing Her Name

4 hours ago

DOJ Announces Arrest, Indictments in North Korean IT Worker Scheme

4 hours ago

Fresno Man Arrested in Clovis for Sex-Related Crimes Against Minor

4 hours ago

Dyer’s Lobbying Works. Fresno Gets $100M for Downtown From State

4 hours ago

Clovis Police Seek Public’s Help in Finding Missing 82-Year-Old Woman

The Clovis Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating an at-risk missing adult last seen on Thursday. Pathmani Goonawarde...

2 hours ago

Clovis Police are searching for Pathmani Goonawardena, 82, who went missing nearly three weeks ago and was last seen driving a white Volvo near Copper and Auberry, possibly en route to Coarsegold. (CHP)
2 hours ago

Clovis Police Seek Public’s Help in Finding Missing 82-Year-Old Woman

fresno
2 hours ago

Fresno Woman Killed in Head-On Collision, CHP Investigating

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 30, 2025. (Reuters File)
3 hours ago

Musk Vows to Punish Lawmakers Who Back Trump’s Spending Bill

3 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for $4.2 Million Tech Startup Fraud

Bryan Koberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students, listens during a hearing to overturn his grand jury indictment in Moscow, Idaho, U.S., October 26, 2023. (Reuters File)
3 hours ago

Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty in Murders of Four Idaho Students, ABC News Reports

The Blanca Fire, burning 12 acres northwest of Lake Madera Country Estates in Madera County, remains active with 0% containment and no reported injuries or structural damage as the cause is under investigation as of Monday, June 30, 2025. (CalFire)
3 hours ago

Wildfire Near Lake Madera Country Estates Burns 12 Acres, Now 100% Contained

Fresno County CHP arrested two on Interstate 5 after finding about one kilogram of suspected cocaine, a loaded ghost gun, and counterfeit money during a vehicle search on Sunday, June 29, 2025. (CHP)
4 hours ago

Fresno County CHP Arrest Two in Interstate 5 Drug, Gun, and Counterfeit Money Bust

Gov. Newsom warns Californians to celebrate the Fourth of July safely, emphasizing zero tolerance for illegal fireworks which have surged to over 600,000 pounds seized this year. (Shutterstock)
4 hours ago

California Seizes Over 600,000 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks. Newsom Calls for Safe Celebrations

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend