Consumer confidence in the United States has declined slightly due to job and income concerns

US consumer confidence edged lower in August as concerns about the job outlook intensified. Data on Tuesday showed that the Conference Board consumer confidence index fell to 97.4 in August. A sub-measure of expectations over the next six months fell in August, while the current situation index fell to its lowest level since April. Consumer confidence continues to be well below pre-epidemic levels, and the recent slowdown in the labour market has exacerbated economic concerns caused by Trump's tariffs. Job growth and wage growth slowed significantly, and the difficulty of re-employment for the unemployed continued to increase. The proportion of consumers who say "jobs are hard to find" rose for the second month in a row to the highest level since 2021; the proportion who say "jobs are abundant" is basically flat. The gap between the two measures, which economists use to measure the labor market, narrowed slightly, continuing a steady downward trend over the past three years.