The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined in June, following an increase in May. The Index now stands at 121.5 (1985=100), down from 131.3 in May. The Present Situation Index – based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions – decreased from 170.7 to 162.6. The Expectations Index – based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business and labor market conditions – decreased from 105.0 last month to 94.1 this month.

"After three consecutive months of improvement, Consumer Confidence declined in June to its lowest level since September 2017 (Index, 120.6)," said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. "The decrease in the Present Situation Index was driven by a less favorable assessment of business and labor market conditions. Consumers' expectations regarding the short-term outlook also retreated. The escalation in trade and tariff tensions earlier this month appears to have shaken consumers' confidence. Although the Index remains at a high level, continued uncertainty could result in further volatility in the Index and, at some point, could even begin to diminish consumers' confidence in the expansion." 

The monthly Consumer Confidence Survey, based on a probability-design random sample, is conducted for The Conference Board by Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and analytics around what consumers buy and watch. The cutoff date for the preliminary results was June 14.

Consumers' appraisal of current-day conditions declined in June. Those claiming business conditions are "good" decreased from 38.4 percent to 36.7 percent, however, those saying business conditions are "bad" also decreased, from 11.7 percent to 10.9 percent. Consumers' assessment of the labor market was also somewhat less upbeat. Those saying jobs are "plentiful" decreased from 45.3 percent to 44.0 percent, while those claiming jobs are "hard to get" rose from 11.8 percent to 16.4 percent.

Consumers were less optimistic about the short-term outlook in June. The percentage of consumers expecting business conditions will be better six months from now decreased from 21.4 percent to 18.1 percent, while those expecting business conditions will worsen rose from 8.8 percent to 13.1 percent.

Consumers' outlook for the labor market was also less favorable. The proportion expecting more jobs in the months ahead decreased from 18.4 percent to 17.3 percent, while those anticipating fewer jobs increased from 13.0 percent to 14.8 percent. Regarding their short-term income prospects, the percentage of consumers expecting an improvement decreased from 22.2 percent to 19.1 percent, while the proportion expecting a decrease inched up from 7.8 percent to 8.0 percent.