Consumer Confidence Rises Despite Soaring Gas Prices

Consumers remain optimistic despite economic headwinds from the Iran conflict.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 4:54pm

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Despite skyrocketing gas prices due to the ongoing war in Iran, U.S. consumer confidence saw a slight uptick in March, according to new data from the Conference Board. The consumer confidence index rose to 105.7 in March, up from 103.4 in February, suggesting Americans remain relatively upbeat about the economy despite significant economic headwinds.

Why it matters

Consumer confidence is a key economic indicator that measures how optimistic or pessimistic consumers feel about their personal finances and the overall state of the economy. The fact that confidence rose despite soaring gas prices shows that Americans may be weathering the economic impacts of the Iran conflict better than expected so far.

The details

The Conference Board's consumer confidence index is based on a survey of 5,000 U.S. households. The March increase was driven by an improvement in consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions, even as their short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions softened somewhat.

  • The consumer confidence index rose to 105.7 in March 2026.
  • The index was 103.4 in February 2026.

The players

Conference Board

A non-profit research organization that publishes the widely watched consumer confidence index.

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What they’re saying

“Consumers remain relatively upbeat about the economy despite the headwinds from the war in Iran.”

— Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at the Conference Board

What’s next

The Conference Board will release its next consumer confidence report in April 2026, providing further insight into how Americans are feeling about the economy.

The takeaway

The resilience of consumer confidence in the face of soaring gas prices suggests the U.S. economy may be weathering the economic impacts of the Iran conflict better than expected so far, though the long-term outlook remains uncertain.