US Consumer Confidence December 2026
December 29 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am
US Consumer Confidence December 2026
Next US Consumer Confidence: Tuesday, at 10:00 am ET (3:00 pm London).
Date to be confirmed by the publisher; this is the scheduled date.
- Consensus
- Not yet published
- Prior
- 91.2 (June 2026)
- Actual
- Pending
Full schedule and background: US Consumer Confidence.
Updated
The Conference Board is expected to release its US Consumer Confidence Index for December 2026 on Tuesday, December 29, 2026 at 10:00 am ET (3:00 pm London time). This report measures how American households feel about the current economy and their expectations for the next six months. Full schedule and background: US Consumer Confidence.
What is the Consumer Confidence Index?
The Consumer Confidence Index is a monthly survey run by The Conference Board, a private, non-profit research organisation. It asks a representative panel of US households five questions: two about their view of current business and job conditions, and three about how they expect the economy, the job market and their own income to look six months from now.
The answers are combined into a Present Situation Index and an Expectations Index, which together produce the headline Consumer Confidence Index, benchmarked to 1985 equals 100. Markets watch it because consumer spending drives roughly two-thirds of US economic output, so a sustained shift in sentiment can foreshadow changes in retail sales, borrowing and saving behaviour before those changes show up in hard data.
It differs from the University of Michigan’s separate consumer sentiment survey mainly in question design and sample, and economists often compare the two for confirmation. The Conference Board index tends to place more weight on labour market perceptions, which is why it is closely tied to how people feel about job security and wages.
When is the December Consumer Confidence report released?
The Conference Board has not yet confirmed the exact release date for the December 2026 report at the time of writing. The Conference Board typically publishes Consumer Confidence data on the last Tuesday of the month covered, and December 29, 2026 follows that usual pattern. The release is published on the Conference Board’s website at 10:00 am ET (3:00 pm London time) and is distributed simultaneously to newswires including Reuters and Bloomberg.
What is the consensus forecast?
A consensus forecast for the December 2026 reading has not yet been published. Economists’ estimates typically appear in the days before release, compiled by data providers such as Reuters and Trading Economics. Based on the most recent verified Conference Board data, the index stood at 91.2 in June 2026, down from a prior reading of 93.1, and below the 94.4 figure economists had expected, according to TrendForce DataTrack, which compiles Conference Board releases.
| Measure | Prior (June 2026) | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Headline Consumer Confidence Index | 91.2 | Not yet published |
| Present Situation Index | Not independently verified for this period | Not yet published |
| Expectations Index | Not independently verified for this period | Not yet published |
What the result could mean
| Scenario | Likely market read | What it means in plain English |
|---|---|---|
| Above consensus | Read as a sign households feel more secure, which could support equities tied to consumer spending and ease concern about a slowdown | People feel more confident about jobs and income, which often means more spending on non-essential goods |
| In line with consensus | Limited market reaction expected, with attention shifting to the breakdown between present conditions and expectations | Confidence is holding roughly steady, neither improving nor worsening the outlook |
| Below consensus | Could add to worries about consumer spending and be read as a signal that the labour market is weakening, according to commentary from economists tracking the series | Households are more cautious, which can mean less spending on cars, holidays and big purchases |
These are possible readings of the data, not predictions of how the index will actually come in or how markets will react on the day.
Why does this release matter right now?
Consumer confidence has been volatile through 2026 as households weighed the effects of tariffs, inflation and a labour market that has shown signs of cooling. The June 2026 reading of 91.2 came in below both the prior month and the consensus estimate of 94.4, according to TrendForce DataTrack, a decline that analysts linked to concerns about job security and rising prices.
The Federal Reserve does not target consumer confidence directly, but policymakers watch it as a lead indicator for consumer spending, which feeds into their broader assessment of demand and inflation pressure. A weakening trend into year-end would arrive at a sensitive moment, with the Fed weighing further interest rate moves and investors trying to gauge the strength of the US consumer heading into 2027.
What It Means for Your Money
- Mortgages and borrowing: If confidence weakens sharply, it can reinforce expectations of interest rate cuts, which may eventually feed through to lower mortgage and loan rates in the US, though the effect on UK and European rates is indirect and depends on their own central banks.
- Savings: Weak confidence data that raises the odds of rate cuts can mean lower returns on cash savings and fixed deposits over time, as banks adjust rates in anticipation of central bank moves.
- Jobs and wages: A drop in the Expectations Index component often reflects worry about job security, which can be an early signal worth watching if you are negotiating pay or considering a job change.
- Prices: Falling confidence can mean households pull back on spending, which over time may ease price pressure on goods and services, a dynamic central banks watch closely.
- Investments, pensions and currencies: Consumer-facing stocks such as retailers and carmakers tend to be sensitive to this data. A weak reading can also weigh on the dollar if it raises expectations of rate cuts, with knock-on effects for the pound and euro exchange rates and for pension funds holding US equities.
Related events
- Previous release: US Consumer Confidence, November 2026
- Full series and schedule: US Consumer Confidence hub page
- Compare with the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment survey, published separately and covering a similar but distinct panel of households
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is the December Consumer Confidence report released?
It is scheduled for 10:00 am ET (3:00 pm London time) on December 29, 2026, though the Conference Board has not formally confirmed this date.
How do I read the Consumer Confidence Index?
A reading above 100 suggests confidence is stronger than the 1985 base period, while a reading below 100 suggests households are more pessimistic than that historical benchmark. Changes from month to month matter more than the absolute level.
Does Consumer Confidence affect interest rates?
Not directly, but the Federal Reserve monitors it as one of several gauges of consumer spending strength, which feeds into decisions on interest rates.
Where can I find the official release?
The data is published on The Conference Board’s website and distributed to major financial newswires at the time of release.
When is the next Consumer Confidence report?
The next release typically follows around the last Tuesday of the following month, in line with the Conference Board’s usual publication pattern.