Gas Prices Push U.S. Consumer Comfort to Three-Month Low

[DemocratSinceBirth]

U.S. household sentiment dropped last week to the lowest level since early February as views of the buying climate and personal finances dimmed, possibly reflecting higher fuel prices and unimpressive wage growth, the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index showed Thursday.

Americans are growing more unsettled amid the highest gasoline prices since November 2014, as well as modest wage growth despite the lowest unemployment rate since 2000. Consumer comfort has declined three straight weeks since reaching a 17-year high in mid-April.

The risk for the economy is if the setback in sentiment adversely affects household shopping habits after a first quarter that saw the slowest pace of consumer spending in nearly five years. At the same time, consumer comfort remains historically high, as more people are being pulled into a tight labor market and tax cuts are boosting take-home pay.

Higher fuel costs tend to have a bigger financial impact on lower-income individuals, and the gauge of comfort among those earning less than $15,000 a year declined. Sentiment of those at the top of the income scale also fell.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-10/rising-gas-prices-push-u-s-consumer-comfort-to-three-month-low

[Blue_Tires]

1. It's funny because I remember when

Gas spikes were universally regarded as Obama's fault and so far Trump hasn't even been made to address the issue, much less shoulder any responsibility...

[ProudMNDemocrat]

2. Didn't the GOP and Trump RAISE the Tax rate on the poor??

With their tax cuts for the rich? Of course with rising gas prices, the poor get it twice up the anal orifice.