The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index Increased in September
The Consumer Confidence Index rose to 101.8 in September from 86.3 in August, marking a significant rebound after two months of declines. The Present Situation Index increased from 85.8 to 98.5, while the Expectations Index climbed from 86.6 to 104.0. Improved perceptions of current business conditions and labor markets, along with greater optimism for the near future, contributed to this uplift. A notable increase in consumers expecting improved business conditions rose from 29.8% to 37.1%, indicating stronger consumer sentiment.
- Consumer Confidence Index increased to 101.8 from 86.3.
- Present Situation Index improved from 85.8 to 98.5.
- Expectations Index rose from 86.6 to 104.0.
- More consumers expect business conditions to improve in the next six months, rising from 29.8% to 37.1%.
- Optimism about short-term financial prospects increased, enhancing potential consumer spending.
- Consumer Confidence remains below pre-pandemic levels.
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® increased in September, after declining in August. The Index now stands at 101.8 (1985=100), up from 86.3 in August. The Present Situation Index – based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions – increased from 85.8 to 98.5. The Expectations Index – based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions – increased from 86.6 in August to 104.0 this month.
The monthly Consumer Confidence Survey®, based on a probability-design random sample, is conducted for The Conference Board by Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and analytics around what consumers buy and watch. The cutoff date for the preliminary results was September 18.
"Consumer Confidence increased sharply in September, after back-to-back monthly declines, but remains below pre-pandemic levels," said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. "A more favorable view of current business and labor market conditions, coupled with renewed optimism about the short-term outlook, helped spur this month's rebound in confidence. Consumers also expressed greater optimism about their short-term financial prospects, which may help keep spending from slowing further in the months ahead."
Consumers' appraisal of current conditions rebounded in September. The percentage of consumers claiming business conditions are "good" increased from 16.0 percent to 18.3 percent, while those claiming business conditions are "bad" decreased from 43.3 percent to 37.4 percent. Consumers' assessment of the labor market also improved. The percentage of consumers saying jobs are "plentiful" increased from 21.4 percent to 22.9 percent, while those claiming jobs are "hard to get" decreased from 23.6 percent to 20.0 percent.
Consumers were also more optimistic about the short-term outlook. The percentage of consumers expecting business conditions will improve over the next six months increased from 29.8 percent to 37.1 percent, while those expecting business conditions will worsen decreased from 20.7 percent to 15.8 percent. Consumers were more positive about the outlook for the labor market. The proportion expecting more jobs in the months ahead increased from 29.9 percent to 33.1 percent, while those anticipating fewer jobs decreased from 21.2 percent to 15.6 percent. Regarding their short-term income prospects, the percentage of consumers expecting an increase improved from 13.0 percent to 17.5 percent, while the proportion expecting a decrease declined from 16.0 percent to 12.6 percent.
Source: September 2020 Consumer Confidence Survey®
The Conference Board / Release #7046
The Conference Board publishes the Consumer Confidence Index® at 10 a.m. ET on the last Tuesday of every month. Subscription information and the technical notes to this series are available on The Conference Board website: https://www.conference-board.org/data/consumerdata.cfm.
About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what's ahead. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org.
About NIELSEN
Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers watch and buy. Nielsen's Watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Total Audience measurement services for all devices on which content — video, audio and text — is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry's only global view of retail performance measurement. By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen also provides its clients with analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries, covering more than 90 percent of the world's population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-conference-board-consumer-confidence-index-increased-in-september-301139982.html
SOURCE The Conference Board
FAQ
What was the Consumer Confidence Index for September 2020?
What factors contributed to the rise in consumer confidence in September 2020?
How did the Present Situation Index change in September 2020?
What percentage of consumers expected business conditions to worsen in the next six months in September 2020?
What is the significance of the Consumer Confidence Index?
