PrintUS consumer confidence slumps in January to a level last seen in 2014
BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 10:18 AM ESTWASHINGTON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly deteriorated in January, slumping to its lowest level since 2014, ?amid growing anxiety over high ?prices and a sluggish labor market, ?a survey showed ?on Tuesday. The ?Conference Board said on Tuesday ?its consumer confidence index ?plunged 9.7 points to 84.5 this month, ?the lowest ?level since ?May 2014. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index at ?90.9.
"Consumers' write-in responses on factors affecting the economy continued to skew towards pessimism," said Dana Peterson, chief economist ?at ?the Conference Board. "References to prices and inflation, oil ?and gas prices, and food and grocery prices remained elevated. Mentions of tariffs and trade, politics, and the labor market also ?rose, and references to health insurance and war edged higher." (Reporting by Lucia ?Mutikani; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )
