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What is consumer confidence, anyway?

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index has fallen for the fourth straight month, but what does that really mean?

What is consumer confidence, anyway?
Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index has fallen for the fourth straight month, pointing to economic growth possibly slowing. Still, it’s at historically strong levels (125.5). But what goes into that number? Feelings! Feelings of every-day consumers about how the economy is, how their personal situation is and how they expect it to be in coming months. Feelings can turn into dollars and can even signal a recession is coming.

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