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The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.7 points in September to 81.9, while consumers’ comments about prices, goods and services, and fuel costs rose to new highs. The report also showed weaker assessments of current conditions and the short-term outlook; it does not establish how much of the decline was caused by fuel prices alone.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.7 points in September to 81.9, as consumers’ references to prices, the cost of goods and services, and fuel rose to new highs, the organization said in a Sept. 29 release. The decline points to weaker views of current economic conditions and the near-term outlook, though the release does not quantify how much any single factor contributed.
The index measuring consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions dropped 7.9 points to 109.3. A separate measure of expectations for income, business and labor market conditions over the short term declined 5.9 points to 63.6, according to The Conference Board. Both measures fell alongside the headline confidence reading.
Consumers’ written comments about the economy were mostly pessimistic in September, Chief Economist Dana M. Peterson said in the release. She said mentions of prices and the high cost of goods and services, particularly oil and gas, rose to new highs, reflecting what she described as a September surge in fuel costs. The release did not provide a breakdown of how many respondents cited each concern or assign a specific share of the confidence decline to fuel.
The Conference Board said comments about war and conflict eased during the month but remained elevated. Other surveys also reported deteriorating sentiment: the University of Michigan’s September final results showed its Consumer Sentiment Index down 7% from the previous month and 12.7% from a year earlier. Those figures come from a separate survey and use a different index, so they should not be read as changes in The Conference Board’s measure.
Price Worries Weigh on Confidence
The results matter because confidence surveys track how households view economic conditions and their own prospects. Weaker readings across current conditions and short-term expectations suggest consumers felt less secure about the economy in September. If such concerns persist, they may shape decisions about spending, saving and larger purchases, although the survey alone does not show what consumers ultimately did.
Prices are a particularly direct pressure on household budgets. Peterson connected the rise in mentions of fuel costs with a surge in fuel prices, while the AAA figure cited by PYMNTS said the national average gas price had reached its highest level ever for that time of year. That comparison is specific to the time of year; it is not a claim that the price was an all-time record across every date.
The Conference Board’s figures are survey readings, not a measure of household spending or a forecast that the economy will contract. They provide a snapshot of reported sentiment in September. The separate University of Michigan results and the PYMNTS Consumer Expectations Index offer additional signs of concern, but their methodologies and index scales differ.
September Surveys Point Down
The Conference Board released its September confidence results on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Its headline index lost 6.7 points during the month to 81.9. The current-conditions measure fell 7.9 points to 109.3, and the short-term expectations measure dropped 5.9 points to 63.6. The release describes changes in index points for these measures, not percentage declines.
The University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers reported its final September results on Monday, Sept. 28. Director Joanne Hsu said interviews showed broad agreement across political affiliations that the economic outlook had weakened since the start of the year. The report said Republican sentiment was 20% below January 2026 and Democratic sentiment was 13% lower over the same period. These are changes in that survey’s sentiment measure, not partisan breakdowns of The Conference Board’s index.
PYMNTS also reported that its Consumer Expectations Index fell 0.7 points to 54.1 in September, citing weaker views of the economy, buying conditions and job mobility. Its account said feelings about the overall economy and the timing of major purchases drove most of that decline. The figures provide related context but do not replace or directly explain The Conference Board’s results.
“Overall, interviews reveal broad agreement across the political spectrum that the outlook for the economy has weakened since the beginning of the year.”
— Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers
Survey Results Leave Causes Open
The Conference Board release does not specify how much of September’s 6.7-point decline resulted from fuel prices, other prices, labor market concerns or other factors. It also does not establish whether the weaker outlook will lead to lower household spending. The index measures confidence, not actual purchases or income.
The available figures describe September readings, but the supplied report does not provide a later update or a detailed account of how responses varied by income, region or household circumstances. The AAA comparison cited by PYMNTS applies to gas prices for this time of year; it does not give a full measure of annual household fuel costs.
Watch for October Confidence Data
The next Conference Board confidence release will show whether the September decline and elevated price concerns continued into October. Changes in fuel prices and consumers’ assessments of jobs, business conditions and income will help explain how the outlook evolves, but the September report does not predict the next reading.
Readers can also compare upcoming results from the University of Michigan and PYMNTS with later Conference Board data. Because the surveys use different measures and scales, their results are best treated as separate indicators rather than combined into a single trend line.
Key Questions
What did The Conference Board report for September?
Its Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.7 points to 81.9. The current-conditions measure fell to 109.3, and the short-term expectations measure fell to 63.6.
What concerns did consumers mention?
The Conference Board said references to prices, the cost of goods and services, and oil and gas prices rose to new highs. Its chief economist said comments were mostly pessimistic.
Did fuel prices cause the entire decline?
The report does not say that. Peterson linked increased mentions of fuel costs to a September surge in fuel prices, but the release does not quantify fuel’s contribution to the index drop.
How did the University of Michigan survey compare?
Its final September Consumer Sentiment Index was down 7% from the prior month and 12.7% from a year earlier. It is a separate survey with a different index from The Conference Board’s measure.
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