Tariff Pause Fuels Consumer Optimism as US Confidence Rebounds in May

‘Consumers are feeling less jittery after the tariff pause announcements,’ says a bank’s chief economist.

A Macy’s store in the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City shopping mall in Arlington, Va., on Jan 3, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Consumer confidence received a boost this month as Americans turned more optimistic following the U.S.-China tariff pause.

The Conference Board’s May Consumer Confidence Index rose by 12.3 points, to 98.0, up from 85.7 in April, following five straight months of decline.