US consumer confidence drops to 81.9 in September, reaching lowest level since 2014

United States consumer confidence fell sharply to 81.9 in September, marking its weakest headline reading since 2014. The figure missed consensus forecasts of 89.2 to 90.0, declining from August's revised reading of 88.6 to 89.4. According to The Conference Board survey, the Present Situation Index fell 7.9 points to 109.3, while the Expectations Index dropped 5.9 points to 63.6. Deteriorating sentiment was driven by persistent inflation and high energy costs, pushing expectations further below threshold levels historically associated with recession risks.