US CONSUMER CONFIDENCE DECREASES FOR APRIL 2022

The Refinitiv/Ipsos Primary Consumer Sentiment Index for April 2022 is at 52.7: Fielded from March 25 ‐ April 8, 2022, the index is showing a decrease from March, down 2.1 % from last month, 6.3 % from the same period a year ago. 

“This month’s Refinitiv/Ipsos Primary Consumer Sentiment Index finds that in the wake of continued inflationary pressure, rising interest rates, and the war in Ukraine, American sentiment has declined across the board” Chris Jackson of Ipsos states. 

The Consumer Sentiment Index is now almost 10 points below its June 2021 reading (62.5), its highest reading last year. This month shows decreases of at least two points across three of the four sub‐indices (Current, Investment, Expectation, and Jobs). 

The Current Index had the biggest decrease of the sub‐indices (down 2.9 points), now reading at 44.1. This puts the index over seven points below where it was this time last year (51.2), and it remains below its March 2020 reading by 9.2 points (53.4). 

The Investment Index, at 45.7, loses 2.5 points from March 2022. This month’s reading is now 12 points lower than its 2021 peak in May (57.7) and reads 7.7 points lower than it did in April 2021. 

Expectations sits at 58.2, a loss of 2.1 points from last month. The index is now more than 11 points lower than its highest point in June 2021 (69.4) and sits 8.7 points below its reading this time last year. 

The Jobs Index (65.8) was the only sub‐index to lose less than two points this month (down 1.1 points). This sub‐index stands only 2.3 points lower than it did at this point last year (68.1). 

“Overall consumer confidence and each of the four subindices is lower than last month. However, the decline in the jobs index is less severe than other indices, possibly due to March’s strong jobs report” says, Refinitiv’s Jharonne Martis. “The Refinitiv Retail/Restaurant Index posted a robust 48.6% estimated earnings growth rate for the fourth quarter ending 2021. However, this is expected to decline to a ‐3.6% for the first quarter of 2022, suggesting consumer spending has slowed down in the wake of higher inflation.” 

Refinitiv, an LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) business, is one of the world’s largest providers of financial markets data and infrastructure. Ipsos is a market research company,