The numbers: Consumer confidence retreated in February from a six-month high, reflecting heightened worries about the jobs market and the U.S. presidential election.
The closely followed index fell to 106.7 from a revised 110.9 in January, the Conference Board said Tuesday.
Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had forecast the index to register 115.1.
Consumer confidence tends to signal whether the economy is getting better or worse. While confidence has improved considerably since late last year thanks to slowing inflation, it’s still well below the pre-pandemic high.
Market reaction: The Dow Jones Industrial Average
DJIA,
and the S&P 500
SPX,
fell in Tuesday trades.
This post was originally published on Market Watch
