Daily Roundup of Key US Economic Data for Dec. 23

01:18 PM EST, 12/23/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell to 89.1 in December from a 92.9 reading in November due to a sharp drop in the present situation and no change in the expectations index.

The Conference Board noted the responses were more positive after the end of the federal government shutdown, but there was still a sharp downturn in the assessment of current business and employment conditions.

Richmond Federal Reserve's services reading fell to minus 6 in December from minus 4 in November while the Philadelphia Fed's services reading fell to minus 16.8 in December from minus 16.3 in November, indicating more widespread contraction.

The Richmond Fed's manufacturing index rose to minus 7 in December from minus 15 in November but still indicates contraction in the regional factory sector.

November industrial production rose by 0.2% after a 0.1% drop in October, with manufacturing production flat but up 0.1% when a drop in motor vehicle production is removed. Utilities output fell by 0.4% and mining production was up 1.7%.

The advance estimate of Q3 GDP showed a 4.3% gain, up from a 3.8% increase in Q2 and the strongest quarterly increase in two years. Personal consumption rose by 3.5% in Q3 after a 2.5% gain in the previous quarter.

There were also positive contributions from nonresidential fixed investment, net exports and government spending that offset negative contributions from residential fixed investment and the change in private inventories, though the drag from inventories was much smaller than in the previous quarter.

The GDP price index rose by 3.8% after a 2.1% gain, with the PCE price index and core PCE price index both up more than in the previous quarter.

Redbook reported that US same-store retail sales were up 7.2% year-over-year in the week ended Dec. 20, stronger than a 6.2% gain in the prior week due to late Christmas shopping.

Durable goods new orders fell by 2.2% in October, while shipments rose by 0.6%. Excluding transportation, new orders and shipments were both up 0.2% in October.

The initial Q4 GDPnow estimate from the Atlanta Fed is for a 3% gain. The next estimate is scheduled to be released on Jan. 5.

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