US consumer sentiment drops as inflation expectations surge

[Bernardo de La Paz]

Source: Reuters

Feb 7 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer sentiment dropped unexpectedly in February to a seven-month low and inflation expectations rocketed as households feared it may be too late to avoid the negative effects on their purchasing power from President Donald Trump's threatened tariffs.
The University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers on Friday said its Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to 67.8 from January's final reading of 71.1, which was also the consensus expectation among economists polled by Reuters.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-consumer-sentiment-drops-inflation-expectations-surge-2025-02-07/

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There is an interesting chart at the top of the article which would take a bit of effort for me to post here.

[Harker]

1. "Unexpectedly"?

I'm curious about who's surprised.

[PSPS]

11. That jumped out at me too. It's the media's continuing whitewashing the abnormal as normal.

[Harker]

12. Exactly...

these little editorial comments turn a news report into an opinion piece.

[OnionPatch]

13. I laughed out loud when I read that.

[Harker]

14. As did I. I've read Goebbels. n/t

[Irish_Dem]

2. When people don't trust the gov't they won't spend money.

This is what has happened in China, the people stopped spending money.
Because Xi keeps making bad financial decisions.

Factories keep making goods and they pile up in warehouses.
The economy is in real trouble.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. The situation is worse in command economies than quick-reacting capitalist economies. . . . nt

[Irish_Dem]

8. We shall find out.

[travelingthrulife]

3. Reuters. "dropped unexpectedly"

Why doesn't Reuters know that the threat of tariffs causes people to stop buying.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. It'll go a lot lower in the next 6 months.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. For some reason I have a sinking feeling about this. . . . nt

[multigraincracker]

7. The new word for it....Trumpflation.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. And TrumPain. . . . . nt

[multigraincracker]

10. ....in the butt.

[Raftergirl]

15. Gas in my town went up 10 cents since Tuesday. It will probably be up another 10 cents by next Friday, if. It more.