News · miragenews.com

Consumer Sentiment Flat as Purchasing Power Concerns Dominate

Consumer sentiment was essentially flat in October at 48.0, versus 48.1 in September and 53.6 a year earlier. The Current Conditions index fell to 46.7, driven mainly by an 18% plunge in buying conditions for durable goods, while the Expectations index rose to 48.8. Some 85% of consumers said it is a bad time to buy a house, with 62% blaming high interest rates, and 69% expect rates to rise in the year ahead, the highest since April 2023. The share saying high prices are dragging down their personal finances rose for a fourth straight month to 56%, with concerns particularly widespread among lower-wealth consumers, according to surveys director Joanne Hsu, who said purchasing power continues to dominate views of the economy.

Summary written by Upside AI from the original article. Read the source for full details.

Read the original on miragenews.com ↗

Keywords

consumer confidenceinterest rateshousingDXY

Open a keyword to see other news on the same topic.

Related tickers and likely impact

DXY

• Neutral

Relevance: low

MarketCurrencies
Close on 10/22/2026101.62
Change that session-0.07%
DXY price, forecasts and signals →

SPY

• Neutral

SPDR S&P 500 ETF

Relevance: low

MarketUS stocks
SectorETF
Close on 10/22/2026763.96
Change that session-1.18%
SPY price, forecasts and signals →

Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.

Related news

  • US UoM Sentiment Holds at 48 . 0 as Current Conditions Slumpactionforex.com·• DXY• SPYconsumer confidenceDXYUS dollar
  • U . S . homebuilding slumps as permits hit 3 - 1 / 2 - year low | Honolulu Star - Advertiser

    U.S. single-family starts fell 4.6% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 859,000 units, the lowest since September 2025, while permits dropped 4.0% to 845,000 units, the weakest since March 2023. Mortgage rates have surged, with the 30-year fixed rate averaging 7.40% last week, the highest in nearly three years, which has suppressed demand. Builder sentiment fell in October to its lowest level since June 2012, blamed on rising material, diesel and labor costs. Some economists say the slowdown is needed to clear a glut of unsold new homes, while Morgan Stanley estimates residential investment contracted at a 4.0% annualized rate in the third quarter.

    staradvertiser.com·▼ DXY▼ SPYhousingmortgagesinterest rates
  • Homebuilder Sentiment Drops To Lowest Level Since 2012

    Homebuilder confidence has fallen to its lowest level since 2012, according to the NAHB and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Rising mortgage rates and higher energy and material costs have pushed builder sentiment to a 14-year low, keeping more buyers on the sidelines, NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz said. Although sentiment edged up slightly in March, the headline index rose one point to 38, still below the breakeven level of 50. NAHB Chairman Bill Owens said affordability remains the top concern, as buyers wait for lower rates while builders face elevated land, labor, and construction costs.

    khow.iheart.com·▼ DXY▼ SPYhousingmortgagesinterest rates
  • Americans Are Gloomier Than at Almost Any Time on Record , Michigan Survey Shows

    The University of Michigan's final October consumer sentiment index came in at 48.0, the second-lowest reading in the survey's 70-year history, with only May 2026's 44.8 lower. The figure was revised up from an initial 46.3, is almost level with September's 48.1, and marks a five-month low. Director Joanne Hsu said sentiment is 10% below a year ago and 15% below February, just before the Iran conflict. The current-conditions index fell to 46.7 from 50.9 and buying conditions for durables dropped 18% amid higher interest rates and affordability concerns, while expectations rose to 48.8. Year-ahead and long-run inflation expectations rose to 4.7% and 3.5%, their highest since May, while XRT gained 6.76% over the past month even as SPY slipped 0.52% on the day.

    aol.com·▼ DXY▼ SPY▲ XAU/USDinflationconsumer confidenceinterest rates
  • Americans Are Gloomier Than at Almost Any Time on Record, Michigan Survey Shows

    The University of Michigan's final October consumer sentiment index came in at 48.0, revised up from 46.3, almost level with September and a five-month low. The current-conditions index fell to 46.7, with buying conditions for durables such as cars and appliances down 18% amid higher interest rates and affordability concerns. Year-ahead and long-run inflation expectations rose to 4.7% and 3.5%, both the highest since May, while the Federal Reserve raised rates by 25 basis points in September to 3.75%–4.00% and meets again on October 28. Retail sales reached $745.0 billion in September, up 0.8% from August, suggesting shoppers are still spending despite weaker sentiment. The SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) gained 6.76% over the past month, while SPY slipped 0.52% on the release day; because XRT weights its holdings roughly equally, smaller auto dealers and specialty stores carry as much weight as larger names if durables demand keeps weakening.

    Yahoo Finance·▼ SPY▼ DXY▼ QQQconsumer confidenceinflationFed
  • Us Consumer Sentiment : From fuel price hikes to cost - of - living concerns , US consumer sentiment nears record low

    US consumer sentiment edged down to 48.0 in October, near a record low, as price increases linked to the Middle East conflict weighed on households, according to a University of Michigan survey. Sentiment among independents fell sharply to 42.4 from 47.7 in September, just above May's record low of 40.6, while scores among Democrats and Republicans improved. Expectations for inflation over the next 12 months rose to 4.7%, and expectations for the next five years increased to 3.5%. Survey director Joanne Hsu warned that persistently elevated inflation expectations could complicate the Federal Reserve's efforts to bring inflation to its 2% target, and the Fed is due to meet next week with the policy rate widely expected to stay at 3.75%-4.00%.

    timesofindia.indiatimes.com·▼ SPY• DXY▼ QQQ• XAU/USDinflationinterest ratesFed

Related markets

Currencies →US stocks →

Latest news

  • The Nasdaq Just Had Its Worst Day in 4 Months. Here's the Level That Would Signal a Correction, and What History Says Investors Can Do About It.

    The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.6% on Oct. 22 to close at 26,008.86, its largest drop since a 4.2% decline on June 5. A correction, a fall of at least 10% from the highs, would require a further 4.1% drop to below 24,950, which would mark the third correction this year. Corrections have been occurring more frequently, but recoveries have generally been quick, with the 2022 to early 2024 slump the main exception. The article attributes the choppier market to fast-spreading information, easy trading, and concentration in AI-linked mega-cap stocks that make up much of the S&P 500. It says holding quality companies, index funds, or ETFs is the simplest way to endure corrections, and suggests reviewing whether large positions are highly correlated.

    Yahoo Finance·▼ QQQ▼ SPY▼ NVDANasdaqQQQSPY
  • Oklo Is Down 61% This Year Despite a Real Technical Milestone. Here's the Disconnect Between the Stock and the Science.

    Oklo stock has fallen more than 60% this year, and the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF (NLR) has dropped 25%, as Wall Street has grown less confident about nuclear stocks. Oklo's AI power opportunity, once its main tailwind, has become a headwind as investors question whether spending on AI infrastructure will deliver big returns. The company has reached technical milestones, including first criticality of its Groves test reactor in Texas in August, NRC approval of principal design criteria for its Aurora powerhouse in May, and DOE approval of a preliminary safety analysis for a reactor in Idaho. However, Oklo remains unprofitable, is still burning cash, and lacks regulatory approval for Aurora, whose planned 2028 launch is not guaranteed given its history of delays. The author suggests a small speculative position may fit some investors, while less aggressive investors may prefer other growth stocks.

    Yahoo Finance·Oklonuclear energyartificial intelligence
  • Stock Market Sell-Off: History Says This Is the Best Move to Make Right Now

    The Nasdaq Composite has fallen 7.6% from its early October highs, with AI stocks among the main drags on the index. The author argues against panic selling, noting that the Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index ETF (ONEQ) fell 33% in 2022 before soaring 44.6% in 2024, while investors who moved to cash missed that rebound. As of Oct. 23, ONEQ had gained 150% since the end of 2022. The author says the effective approach is to stay the course, keep regular investments going so each contribution buys more at lower prices, and treat a pullback as a chance to add quality stocks whose declines are unrelated to their fundamentals. The article cites John Bogle's “stay the course” philosophy, which Warren Buffett and Benjamin Graham would also agree with.

    Yahoo Finance·▼ QQQ▼ SPY▼ NVDANasdaqQQQNVDA
  • Vertex Pharmaceuticals Gets 96% of Product Sales From Treatments for 1 Disease. Here's Why That's About to Change.

    Vertex Pharmaceuticals' cystic fibrosis (CF) therapies brought in about $3.2 billion of its $3.33 billion second-quarter revenue, roughly 96%. The company expects $500 million or more in 2026 sales from Journavx and Casgevy, and recently reported positive Phase 2b data for inaxaplin in APOL1-mediated kidney disease, with reduced urine protein and no serious side effects. Q2 revenue rose 12% year over year, EPS reached $4.31, and full-year revenue guidance was raised to $13.1 billion to $13.2 billion, while the $10 billion Crinetics Pharmaceuticals acquisition closed on Sept. 1. Shares are up more than 15% so far this year, and the article suggests this gain does not appear to come only from hype.

    Yahoo Finance·pharmaceuticalsearningsmergers and acquisitions
  • More than 400,000 protest across France, challenging Macron as Paris clashes erupt

    Mass protests across France over school funding and living costs drew 410,000 people according to the Interior Ministry and nearly 800,000 according to the CGT union, with clashes in Paris ending a march that had begun peacefully. Police used tear gas and water cannons near Porte de Vincennes, where 64 people were arrested, and similar clashes were reported in Marseille, Lyon, Strasbourg, Nice and Nantes. Authorities banned rallies in cities including Lyon, Nice and Montpellier, which unions criticized as violations of freedom of expression. Marseille police counted 17,000 protesters against 100,000 by the CGT, and Toulouse authorities counted 26,500, while thousands marched in Orléans against the far right as Marine Le Pen's National Rally held a congress there. Macron's popularity is at its lowest since he took office in 2017, and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez acknowledged police lost control in some cities during the unrest, which damaged or looted some 3,000 shops.

    inquirer.com·▼ EUR/USDprotestsFranceEmmanuel Macron
  • More than 400 , 000 protest across France , challenging Macron as Paris clashes erupt

    More than 400,000 people rallied across France on Saturday over school funding and soaring living costs, challenging President Emmanuel Macron, and the Paris march ended in clashes in which masked protesters hurled objects and fireworks at police, who responded with tear gas, sound grenades and water cannons. The government said police made nearly 1,000 arrests, a figure expected to rise. The Interior Ministry put turnout at 410,000, below the 550,000 of the previous weekend, while the CGT union estimated nearly 800,000. The movement began as a protest over staff shortages at one high school and spread into a national demand for education funding and help with fuel and other costs, testing Macron in his final months before May's election. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 70,000 officers helped prevent a repeat of the previous weekend's widespread looting.

    rockymounttelegram.com·▼ EUR/USDprotestsFranceEmmanuel Macron

All news →

Get the briefing on Telegram or Zalo

Join the Upside Telegram channel or Zalo group for the Vietnam stocks and gold briefing at 8:00 and 19:00 (Vietnam time) on trading days, plus a weekly wrap on Saturday morning.