US Consumer Confidence Improves Modestly in February

Confidence index rises from January's low, but short-term expectations remain well below recession marker

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The American consumer's confidence in the U.S. economy improved slightly in February after cratering the previous month, according to the Conference Board. The consumer confidence index rose to 91.2 in February from an upwardly revised 89 in January. However, a measure of Americans' short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market remained well below 80, a marker that can signal a recession ahead.

Why it matters

Consumer confidence is a key indicator of the overall health of the economy, as it reflects how optimistic or pessimistic consumers are about their personal financial situation and the broader economic environment. The modest improvement in February suggests the economy may be stabilizing after a sharp drop in confidence in January, but the continued weakness in short-term expectations indicates lingering concerns about the economic outlook.

The details

The Conference Board's measure of consumers' assessments of their current economic situation fell by 1.8 points to 120. Respondents' references to prices and inflation were little changed but remain elevated, while mentions of trade and politics increased, and references to labor market conditions eased as perceptions of the job market improved modestly. The country's labor market has been stuck in a 'low hire, low fire' state, with businesses standing pat due to uncertainty over trade policies and the lingering effects of elevated interest rates.

  • The consumer confidence index rose to 91.2 in February from an upwardly revised 89 in January.
  • The measure of Americans' short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market remained well below 80 in February, the 13th consecutive month it has come in under that marker.

The players

The Conference Board

A non-profit research organization that publishes the consumer confidence index, a widely followed indicator of the health of the U.S. economy.

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What’s next

Economists will be closely watching future consumer confidence data to see if the modest improvement in February is a sign of a broader economic recovery, or if lingering concerns about the job market and other factors continue to weigh on consumer sentiment.

The takeaway

While the slight uptick in consumer confidence in February is a positive sign, the continued weakness in short-term expectations suggests the economy is still facing significant headwinds. Businesses and policymakers will need to closely monitor consumer sentiment and other economic indicators to gauge the strength of the recovery.