Consumer confidence fell last week to the lowest point since mid-December as Americans’ views of their financial situations and the buying climate deteriorated, according to figures from the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index released Thursday.
Less optimism about the economy’s prospects and declining confidence about household finances and whether it’s a good time to spend indicate consumers won’t be as free-spending as they were in the second quarter. While job gains and income growth have provided Americans with the wherewithal to boost purchases, any sustained softening in the employment picture could threaten the outlook for largest part of the economy.
