US Consumer Sentiment Falls on Deteriorating Inflation, Labor Outlook

‘This deterioration largely stems from rising worries about inflation,’ says the University of Michigan’s surveys head.

People shop at a store in Elkridge, Md., on July 11, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

U.S. consumer sentiment unexpectedly softened in August, as the public anticipates inflation and unemployment to worsen in the future, according to new data from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, released on Aug. 15.

The preliminary August consumer sentiment index fell to 58.6, down from a final reading of 61.7 in July. This came in below the consensus forecast of 62 and represented the first decline in four months.