Economy

Consumer Sentiment Slides Post Election

courtesy of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

The final University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index for November fell month over month from an October reading of 98.6 to 97.5. The consensus estimate from Bloomberg was calling for the final reading to be 98.3.

The November index is 1.1% lower month over month and 1.0% lower compared with November 2017.

The November index and subindex readings came in lower in every case when compared both to October and to November 2017.

Month over month, the consumer expectations subindex fell 1.3% to 88.1 and the current conditions subindex fell from 113.1 to 112.3.

Year over year, the current conditions subindex is down 1.1% and the consumer expectations subindex is down 0.9%.

According to Richard Curtin, Chief Economist:

Consumer sentiment has remained largely unchanged at very favorable levels during 2018, with the November reading nearly at the center of the eleven month range from 95.7 to 101.4. Although the data recorded a decline of 2.8 Index points following the election, the drop was related more to income than political party: among those with incomes in the bottom third, the Sentiment Index rose by 10.4 points and fell by 6.6 points among those in the top third of the income distribution. In contrast, the Sentiment Index remained unchanged among Democrats and Republicans prior to and following the election.

The #1 Thing to Do Before You Claim Social Security (Sponsor)

Choosing the right (or wrong) time to claim Social Security can dramatically change your retirement. So, before making one of the biggest decisions of your financial life, it’s a smart idea to get an extra set of eyes on your complete financial situation.

A financial advisor can help you decide the right Social Security option for you and your family. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.

Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you optimize your Social Security outcomes.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.