US Consumer Confidence Drops for Fifth Straight Month (4)

US consumer confidence declined in December for a fifth consecutive month on more pessimistic views of the labor market and business conditions.

The Conference Board’s gauge decreased to 89.1 from 92.9 last month, data out Tuesday showed. The falling streak is now tied for the longest since 2008.

A gauge of present conditions sank to 116.8, the lowest since February 2021, while a measure of expectations for the next six months held steady in December.

Economists were expecting confidence to rebound somewhat after the record-long government shutdown. But the continued decline underscores just how worried consumers ...