by John Carney
Breitbart.com
U.S. consumer confidence slid sharply in February, posting its steepest decline since August 2021, as Americans grew increasingly concerned about rising prices, weakening job prospects, and the broader economic outlook.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell 7 points to 98.3, marking its third consecutive monthly decline and falling below economists’ expectations.
More troubling, the Expectations Index—a measure of consumers’ short-term outlook—dropped 9.3 points to 72.9, falling below the level historically associated with a looming recession for the first time since June 2024.
Stocks and bond yields slipped after the report, reflecting heightened investor concerns over economic momentum.