American consumers are feeling less confident as concerns about jobs take center stage

AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — American consumers are feeling less confident this month and concerns about jobs rose significantly. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 98.7 in September, from 105.6 in August. It was the biggest month=to-month decline since August of 2021. The index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market fell to 81.7 from 86.3 in July. A reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. Consumers’ view of current conditions fell to 124.3 in September from 134.3 last month.