US Michigan Consumer Sentiment Falls To 47.8 Against 51 Consensus

The United States Michigan Consumer Sentiment reading registered 47.8 for September in the September 11 release, missing the consensus estimate of 51 as households reported weaker confidence than in the preceding monthly survey. The index fell from August’s final reading of 51.7, while August itself declined from July’s final 55.2, leaving September below both preceding monthly readings and extending the downward sequence that began after July. Unlike purchasing managers’ indexes, the sentiment index does not assign an expansion or contraction boundary to 50, so its latest reading measures household attitudes rather than demonstrating a contraction in economic activity. The survey separates assessments of current economic conditions from consumer expectations, but the headline reading alone does not establish which component drove the decline or attribute the deterioration to a particular economic sector. September’s reading also stands below April’s final 49.8, adding another comparison within this year’s uneven confidence readings, although that shorter historical perspective does not establish a year-over-year change or a comparison with the 12-month average. The final September survey release provides the next related update, with its headline index, current-conditions measure, expectations component and inflation expectations offering further information on household assessments without directly measuring consumer spending, employment growth or economic output. Updated 9/13/26