October 25, 2026 · Sep 2026 data
Consumer Sentiment September 2026: Index at 48.1
Consumer sentiment fell to 48.1 in September 2026, down 3.6 points from August and now below last year's level. Americans are growing more pessimistic about jobs and finances just as holiday spending season approaches.
What happened
The Consumer Sentiment index dropped to 48.1 in September 2026, down from the prior month value of 51.7. This marks the second straight month of decline. The current reading sits below the year-ago reading of 53.6 from October 2025, showing a deteriorating trend over the past 12 months.
Consumer Sentiment
Oct 2023 to Sep 2026 · latest 48
Source: Indicators IQ, from official data releases.
What it means
When consumers feel less confident about the future, they tend to spend less and save more. That restraint ripples through retail, restaurants, and services—the parts of the economy that employ most working Americans. If this pessimism hardens, businesses may hire more cautiously or cut hours, putting real pressure on household income and job security heading into the final quarter of the year.
What to watch
Look for September and October retail sales data in early November. If consumers pull back on spending despite the holiday season, it will signal that sentiment decline is translating into real economic weakness rather than temporary jitters.
The bigger picture
Sentiment has been choppy over the last 12 months, ranging from a low of 44.8 in May 2026 to a high of 56.6 in February 2026, with an average of 51.91. The current 48.1 reading is near the bottom of that range. Against a Consumer Resiliency score of 53/100, this deteriorating sentiment suggests households are feeling the squeeze even though many still have jobs and savings.
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