Conference Board: Index inches higher to 92.8 as labor market offsets gas pain…
Present Situation Index retreats as consumers feel the Middle East “pincushion”…
Inflation expectations surge to 4.7% as war shocks hit the household pocketbook…
Economists: “Resilience is thin” as nearly 50% expect higher rates through 2027…
US consumer confidence inches higher in April despite Iran war, soaring gasoline prices
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence rose modestly in April despite growing anxiety over soaring energy prices brought on by the war in Iran.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index inched up to 92.8 in April from 92.2 in March.
Though the gauge measuring American consumers’ confidence has ticked up the past two months, the reading remains mired near its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE: The April 28 Data Split
| Indicator | April 2026 Reading | Status & Context |
| CB Consumer Confidence Index | 92.8 | Edged Up from 92.2 in March. Surprised analysts who expected a drop to 89.4. Driven primarily by a “plentiful” labor market. |
| Present Situation Index | 123.8 | Retreated (down 0.3 pts). Consumers are feeling the immediate sting of $4.18/gal gas and the Middle East “pincushion” effect on daily costs. |
| Expectations Index | 72.2 | Rose (+1.2 pts). Sentiment was buoyed by the temporary April 8 ceasefire, though it remains below the 80.0 recession threshold for the 15th straight month. |
| 1-Year Inflation Expectations | 4.7% | Surged from 3.8% in March. This is the largest one-month jump in a year, reflecting a “permanent” war premium in household budgets. |