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The www.FedPrimeRate.com Personal Finance Blog and Magazine

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for DECEMBER 2025

Consumer Confidence Index® (CCI) for this month (December, 2025) was released by The Conference Board®:

================

Predicted: 92.0
  • Actual: 89.1

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Previous Month (revised): 92.9

  • Change from Previous Month-4.09% (-3.8 points)
================

The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

From Today's Report:

"...'Despite an upward revision in November related to the end of the shutdown, consumer confidence fell again in December and remained well below this year’s January peak. Four of five components of the overall index fell, while one was at a level signaling notable weakness,' said Dana M Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board.

The Present Situation Index declined as net views on current business conditions were negative for the first time since September 2024, a month that included a labor market scare and deadly hurricanes. Perceptions of employment conditions edged lower as the labor market differential -- the share of consumers saying jobs are ‘plentiful’ minus the share saying jobs are ‘hard to get’ -- continued to flag. Two of the three Expectations Index components dipped in December. November’s nosedive in expectations for business conditions six months from now mostly reversed in December but remained negative. Expectations for labor market conditions were gloomier, and the outlook for household incomes was less positive.

Among demographic groups, on a six-month moving average basis, confidence dipped among all age groups in December, although consumers under 35 continued to be more confident than consumers age 35 and older. There were few generational differences, as confidence among all generations trended downward in the month, with only the Silent Generation becoming more hopeful. Millennials and Gen Z remained the most optimistic of all generations surveyed. By income, confidence on a six-month moving average basis fell for nearly all brackets, except for those earning less than $15K and more than $125K. Still, consumers earning less than $15K remained the least optimistic among all income groups. Confidence continued to fall in December among all political affiliations (Democrats, Republicans, and Independents).

Peterson added: 'Consumers’ write-in responses on factors affecting the economy continued to be led by references to prices and 
income, tariffs and trade, and politics. However, December saw increases in mentions of immigration, war, and topics related to personal finances -- including interest rates, taxes and income, banks, and insurance. The responses continued to skew pessimistic but less so than November, potentially due to fewer negative comments about prices and inflation, politics, as well as a rebound in positive responses about interest rates. Notably, the Federal Reserve Board cut monetary policy rates on December 10 for a third time in 2025, which landed in the second half of the survey sample interval.'

Nonetheless, the share of consumers expecting interest rates to rise were on net higher, with a drop in the proportion expecting lower rates. Consumers’ median and average 12-month inflation expectations both retreated in December after an uptick in November. The balance of consumers’ expectations for stock prices twelve months from now -- higher minus lower -- was the most positive since January 2025..."
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Every month, The Conference Board sends a questionnaire to 5,000 U.S. households. Survey participants are polled about their feelings regarding the U.S. economy, current and future, and about their own fiscal circumstances. On average, 3,500 participants complete and return the 5-question survey.

  • The baseline "100" score for the CCI is associated with 1985 survey data.


When consumers feel good about the economy, they tend to do more spending, and vice versa.

Based in New York City, The Conference Board® is a private, not-for-profit organization with a mission to, "create and disseminate knowledge about management and the marketplace to help businesses strengthen their performance and better serve society."

The CCI is usually released on the last Tuesday of the month.

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CHART: Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) DECEMBER 2025 Update
CHART: Consumer Confidence Index (CCI)
DECEMBER 2025 Update
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Sunday, December 21, 2025

Consumer Sentiment: FINAL Results for DECEMBER 2025

The University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS) - FINAL Results for December, 2025 was released today:

Predicted: 53.0
  • Actual: 52.9
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  • Change from Previous Month: +3.73% (+1.9 points)

  • Change from 12-Months Previous: -28.51% (-21.1 points)

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  • Final ICS Reading for November 2025: 51.0

  • Final ICS Reading for December 2024: 74.0

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From Today's Report:

"...Consumer sentiment confirmed its early month reading, inching up less than two index points from November, within the margin of error. While lower-income consumers posted gains, sentiment for higher-income  consumers was little changed. Buying conditions for durable goods fell for the fifth straight month, whereas expectations for personal finances and business conditions rose in December. Labor market expectations lifted a bit this month, though a solid majority of 63% of consumers still expects unemployment to continue rising during the next year. Despite some signs of improvement to close out the year, sentiment remains nearly 30% below December 2024, as pocketbook issues continue to dominate consumer views of the economy.

Year-ahead 
inflation expectations decreased for the fourth consecutive month to 4.2%. This is the lowest reading in 11 months but is still above the 3.3% seen in January. Long-run inflation expectations eased from 3.4% last month to 3.2% in December, matching the January 2025 reading. In comparison, readings ranged between 2.8 and 3.2% last year, and were below 2.8% throughout 2019 and 2020..."
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CHART: Post-Pandemic Frustration  with High Prices Persists Even When Inflation Expectations Soften
CHART: Post-Pandemic Frustration
 with High Prices Persists Even
When Inflation Expectations Soften
 
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The ICS is derived from the following five survey questions:

  1. "We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?"

  2. "Now looking ahead, do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be better off financially, or worse off, or just about the same as now?"

  3. "Now turning to business conditions in the country as a whole, do you think that during the next twelve months we'll have good times financially, or bad times, or what?"

  4. "Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely: that in the country as a whole we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, or that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression, or what?"

  5. "About the big things people buy for their homes, such as furniture, a refrigerator, stove, television, and things like that. Generally speaking, do you think now is a good or bad time for people to buy major household items?"
=========


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The ICS uses a 1966 baseline, i.e. for 1966, the ICS = 100. So any number that is below the 1966 baseline of 100 means that the folks who were polled recently aren't as optimistic about the U.S. economy as those polled back in 1966.

The ICS is similar to the Consumer Confidence Index in that they both measure consumer attitudes and offer valuable insight into consumer spending.

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The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

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Saturday, December 20, 2025

Existing Home Sales During NOVEMBER 2025

Existing Home Sales report for November 2025 was released by The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR®) this morning:

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Previous Month: 4,110,000

  • Actual: 4,130,000
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  •  Change from Previous Month: +0.49% (+20,000 homes)

  •  Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y)-0.96% (-40,000 homes)
======================

  • Inventory: 1,430,000 homes.
(4.2 months supply | +100,000 [+7.52%] homes Y-o-Y.)

======================

The yellow-highlighted, "actual" figure above represents the preliminary, seasonally adjusted annualized sales count of existing homes, co-ops and condominiums for the indicated month. The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

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  • Median Price: $409,200

  • Price Change from A Year Ago: +1.19% (+$4,800)

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From Today's Report:

"...'Existing-home sales increased for the third straight month due to lower mortgage rates this autumn,' said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. 'However, inventory growth is beginning to stall. With distressed property sales at historic lows and housing wealth at an all-time high, homeowners are in no rush to list their properties during the winter months.'

'Wage growth is outpacing home price gains, which improves housing affordability. Still, future affordability could be hampered if housing supply fails to keep pace with demand,' Yun added.

'As has been the case throughout the year, single-family home sales outperformed condominium sales in November. The typical price of a sold condo was 13.5% lower than the typical price of a single-family home. However, the purchase price does not include the condominium association fees, which are rising and making these purchases more expensive.'.
.."

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INFOGRAPHIC: Existing Home Sales NOVEMBER 2025 UPDATE (Copyright © 2025 REALTORS®)
INFOGRAPHIC: Existing Home Sales
NOVEMBER 2025 UPDATE
(Copyright © 2025 REALTORS®)
==================

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Friday, December 19, 2025

Powerball® Jackpot Is $1.5 Billion for the Saturday, December 20, 2025 Drawing

Powerball® Jackpot Is $1.5 Billion for the Saturday, December 20, 2025 Drawing
Powerball
Well, looks like I have contracted the "lotto fever" once again...😱

The 
Powerball® jackpot for tomorrow's (December 20, 2025) drawing now stands at an estimated $1.5 billion.

So, just for fun, I am playing a few lines with
 NY.Lotto.com 😌

CHART: Producer Price Index Final Demand (PPI-FD) 12-Month Percent Change - SEPTEMBER 2024 Update

The Odds

The overall odds of winning a Powerball prize are 1 in 24.87.

The odds of winning the jackpot are
 1 in 292,201,338.😐


CHART: Producer Price Index Final Demand (PPI-FD) 12-Month Percent Change - SEPTEMBER 2024 Update

Good luck to all those who are giving this one a shot... ✌🍀💥👌

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Friday, December 05, 2025

Consumer Sentiment: PRELIMINARY Results for DECEMBER 2025

The University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS) - PRELIMINARY Results for December, 2025 was released today:

Predicted: 52.0
  • Actual: 53.3
=========

  • Change from Previous Month: +4.51% (+2.3 points)

  • Change from 12 Months Previous: -27.97% (-20.7 points)

=========

  • Final ICS Reading for November 2025: 51.0

  • Final ICS Reading for December 2024: 74.0

=========

From Today's Report:

"...Consumer sentiment lifted 2.3 index points in early December, within the margin of error. This month’s increase was concentrated primarily among younger consumers. Overall, while views of current conditions were little changed, expectations improved, led by a 13% rise in expected personal finances, with improvements visible across age, income, education, and political affiliation. Still, December’s reading on expected personal finances is nearly 12% below the beginning of the year. Similarly, labor market expectations improved a touch but remained relatively dismal. Consumers see modest improvements from November on a few dimensions, but the overall tenor of views is broadly somber, as consumers continue to cite the burden of high prices.

Looking to the future, year-ahead inflation expectations decreased from 4.5% last month to 4.1% this month, the lowest reading since January 2025. This marks four consecutive months of declines, but short-run inflation expectations are still above the 3.3% seen in January. Long-run inflation expectations softened from 3.4% last month to 3.2% in December, matching the January 2025 reading. In comparison, 2024 readings ranged between 2.8 and 3.2%, while the readings in 2019 and 2020 were below 2.8%. 
Inflation uncertainty over both time horizons -- as measured by the interquartile range of responses -- remains higher than January of this year..."
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CHART: Consumer Sentiment Current Conditions Index December 2025 UPDATE
CHART: Consumer Sentiment
Current Conditions Index
December 2025 UPDATE
 =========

The ICS is derived from the following five survey questions:

  1. "We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?"

  2. "Now looking ahead, do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be better off financially, or worse off, or just about the same as now?"

  3. "Now turning to business conditions in the country as a whole, do you think that during the next twelve months we'll have good times financially, or bad times, or what?"

  4. "Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely: that in the country as a whole we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, or that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression, or what?"

  5. "About the big things people buy for their homes, such as furniture, a refrigerator, stove, television, and things like that. Generally speaking, do you think now is a good or bad time for people to buy major household items?"
=========


=========

The ICS uses a 1966 baseline, i.e. for 1966, the ICS = 100. So any number that is below the 1966 baseline of 100 means that the folks who were polled recently aren't as optimistic about the U.S. economy as those polled back in 1966.

The ICS is similar to the Consumer Confidence Index in that they both measure consumer attitudes and offer valuable insight into consumer spending.

=========

The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

=========

========= 

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