The State of the Economy for August 2025

Consumer confidence mostly held steady in August – what's driving people’s current mood and spending habits?  The latest update from The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® shows a slight dip in August, with the index slipping to 97.4 from July’s 98.7. Both the Present Situation Index and the Expectations Index fell, with expectations remaining below the recession-warning threshold of 80.  Join Dana Peterson, Center Leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center at The Conference Board, and Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist, Global Indicators, The Conference Board, as they discuss:  Why tariffs and inflation remain top-of-mind for consumers;  How resumption of interest on student loans is impacting consumer credit and spending habits; and  The resiliency of cash payments and who’s using buy-now-pay-later options.  More from The Conference Board:  Consumer Confidence Index  Will E-Wallets and Deferred Payments Overtake Cash and Credit Cards?  Pre-Aug 1 Tariff Buying Likely Boosted July Retail Sales