Final Results for August 2025
| Aug | Jul | Aug | M-M | Y-Y | |
| 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | Change | Change | |
| Index of Consumer Sentiment | 58.2 | 61.7 | 67.9 | -5.7% | -14.3% |
| Current Economic Conditions | 61.7 | 68.0 | 61.3 | -9.3% | +0.7% |
| Index of Consumer Expectations | 55.9 | 57.7 | 72.1 | -3.1% | -22.5% |
Read our August 15th special report, Trade Policy and Expected Consumer Spending
Next data release: Friday, September 12, 2025 for Preliminary September data at 10am ET
Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu
Consumer sentiment confirmed its early-month reading, moving down about 6% from July. Sentiment now stands about 11% above readings from April and May but remains at least 10% below 6 and 12 months ago. This month’s decrease was visible across groups by age, income, and stock wealth. Moreover, perceptions of many aspects of the economy slipped. Buying conditions for durable goods subsided to their lowest reading in a year, and current personal finances declined 7%, both due to heightened concerns about high prices. Expectations for business conditions and labor markets contracted in August as well. That said, expectations for personal finances held steady this month, albeit at relatively subdued levels relative to a year ago. This month, few consumers spontaneously mentioned the recent events at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve (interviews closed on Monday, August 25, the day Trump announced he was firing Governor Cook).
Year-ahead inflation expectations moved up from 4.5% last month to 4.8% this month. This rise was seen across multiple demographic groups. Independents and Republicans both exhibited month-over-month increases; expectations for Democrats were unchanged from July. Long-run inflation expectations edged up from 3.4% in July to 3.5% in August. This month ended two consecutive months of receding inflation for short-run expectations and three straight months for long-run expectations. Still, both readings remain well below the highs seen briefly in April and May 2025.
Year-ahead inflation expectations moved up from 4.5% last month to 4.8% this month. This rise was seen across multiple demographic groups. Independents and Republicans both exhibited month-over-month increases; expectations for Democrats were unchanged from July. Long-run inflation expectations edged up from 3.4% in July to 3.5% in August. This month ended two consecutive months of receding inflation for short-run expectations and three straight months for long-run expectations. Still, both readings remain well below the highs seen briefly in April and May 2025.