S&P 500 Gains as Consumer Confidence Recovers from 11-Year Low

FomoAnxiety · 2026-02-24T15:38:41+00:00

The S&P 500 is up following a positive consumer confidence report, with the Consumer Confidence Index rising to 91.2. Consumers show slight optimism about jobs and business conditions, though concerns persist in the labor market.

FomoAnxiety

2026-02-24 15:38:41

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After a shaky start, the S&P 500 (SPX) is trading higher on Tuesday following a better-than-expected consumer confidence update from The Conference Board (TCB).

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In February, the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) rose by 2.2 points month-over-month to 91.2, above the consensus estimate of 87.1. January’s reading was revised to 89.0 from 84.5, which marked the lowest level since May 2014. A reading above 100 signals optimism, while a reading below 100 points to pessimism.

Consumers Slightly More Optimistic on Jobs and Business Conditions

Within the Present Situation Index, a component of the CCI, 19.7% of respondents viewed current business conditions as “good,” up slightly from 19.6% in December. In addition, consumers remain concerned about the labor market, with 20.6% saying that jobs were “hard to get,” up from 19%.

“Four of five components of the Index firmed,” said TCB Chief Economist Dana M. Peterson. “Nonetheless, the measure remained well below the four-year peak achieved in November 2024 (112.8).”

Looking ahead, 15.7% of consumers expect more jobs to be available in the next six months, up from 14.8%. 17.6% of consumers expect business conditions to improve, up from 16.5%.

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