Consumer optimism about future income has all but vanished, one of several negatives to emerge from the latest Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index. In addition, write-in responses on what is affecting participants’ views of the economy contained more references than usual to economic and policy uncertainty.
Overall, the widely watched economic barometer fell in March for the fourth month in a row.
“Of the Index’s five components, only consumers’ assessment of present labor market conditions improved, albeit slightly,” said Stephanie Guichard, the board’s Senior Economist, Global Indicators. “Views of current business conditions weakened to close to neutral. Consumers’ expectations were especially gloomy, with pessimism about future business conditions deepening and confidence about future employment prospects falling to a 12-year low.
“Meanwhile, consumers’ optimism about future income—which had held up quite strongly in the past few months—largely vanished, suggesting worries about the economy and labor market have started to spread into consumers’ assessments of their personal situations.”
On a six-month moving average basis, purchasing plans for both homes and cars declined. “Surprisingly, given the anxiety about the future, intentions to buy big-ticket items—including appliances and electronics—ticked up, which may reflect plans to buy before impending tariffs lead to price increases,” the index results noted.
As mentioned earlier, comments on the current administration and its policies, both positive and negative, dominated consumers’ write-in responses on what is affecting their views of the economy. Write-in responses showed that worries about the impact of trade policies and tariffs are on the rise and that inflation is still a major concern for consumers.
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Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success
After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone.
Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently.
The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.
