US consumer confidence weakened in December, sliding to its lowest stage since President Donald Trump rolled out sweeping tariffs earlier this 12 months, as households grew extra anxious about excessive costs, commerce levies and job prospects, based on a survey by the Conference Board.The Conference Board mentioned its consumer confidence index fell 3.8 factors to 89.1 in December from an upwardly revised 92.9 in November, AP reported. The studying is near the 85.7 stage recorded in April, when the Trump administration launched import taxes on key US buying and selling companions, AP reported.Consumers’ evaluation of present financial circumstances noticed a sharper drop. The current state of affairs index fell 9.5 factors to 116.8, reflecting rising unease about inflation and employment circumstances. Write-in responses to the survey confirmed that costs and inflation remained the most important concern for customers, alongside tariffs.Short-term expectations for earnings, enterprise circumstances and the labour market have been little modified at 70.7, however remained effectively beneath 80 — a threshold that may sign a recession forward. This was the eleventh straight month that expectations stayed underneath that stage.Perceptions of the job market additionally weakened. The share of customers who mentioned jobs have been “plentiful” fell to 26.7% in December from 28.2% in November, whereas those that mentioned jobs have been “hard to get” rose to twenty.8% from 20.1%.The softer sentiment follows latest labour market knowledge exhibiting blended indicators. Government figures launched final week confirmed the US financial system added 64,000 jobs in November after dropping 105,000 jobs in October. The unemployment price climbed to 4.6% final month, its highest stage since 2021.Economists say the labour market is caught in a “low hire, low fire” section, as corporations stay cautious amid uncertainty over tariffs and the lingering results of excessive rates of interest. Since March, common month-to-month job creation has slowed to about 35,000, down from 71,000 in the 12 months ended March. Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell has mentioned he suspects these figures might be revised even decrease, AP reported.
