U.S. consumer sentiment falls to second-lowest on record
By The BriefBrief
The U.S. consumer sentiment reading for October was the second-lowest on record, after the all-time low of 44.8 in May. Independent voters’ economic anxieties highlight the political implications of the decline ahead of the midterm elections.
WHO:The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index
WHAT:The October U.S. consumer sentiment reading was the second-lowest on record.
WHEN:Reported Oct 23, 2026 at 1:26 PM ET
WHERE:USA
WHY:Economic anxieties among independent voters are contributing to the political implications of the decline.
Reporting from 2 identified publishers across this event arc.
