US Current Economic Conditions (Michigan)
US Current Economic Conditions (Michigan) stood at 50.9 in Sep 2026, according to FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). It is one of the indicators in the Consumer confidence table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Feb 1951 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Consumer confidence table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Sentiment Index | 51.7 | 55.2 | 49.5 | 44.8 | 49.8 | 53.3 | 56.6 | 56.4 | 52.9 | ||
| Current Economic Conditions | 50.9 | 51.9 | 54.8 | 47.7 | 45.8 | 52.5 | 55.8 | 56.6 | 55.4 | 50.4 | |
| Consumer Expectations | 46.3 | 51.5 | 55.4 | 50.7 | 44.1 | 48.1 | 51.7 | 56.6 | 57 | 54.6 |
Understanding US Current Economic Conditions (Michigan)
The current economic conditions component captures US consumers' assessments of their ongoing financial circumstances and the favorability of conditions for purchasing durable goods. This represents perceptions at the time of the survey, rather than recorded statistics on income, retail sales, or employment. Compared to the aggregate sentiment index, this component excludes forward-looking projections; compared to the expectations component, it typically reacts more distinctly to purchasing power, commodity prices, and recent financial experiences.
Month-on-month movements should be read in the context of inflation, the labour market, and borrowing costs, as the same level of income can be evaluated very differently when prices or interest rates change. Month-on-month comparisons are suitable for identifying turning points in current perceptions, while year-on-year comparisons help limit noise from holidays, shopping seasons, and tax refund timings. The latest period may be updated following the initial release. A falling index does not automatically mean the economy is in recession; it indicates that respondents evaluate conditions as less favorable according to the survey's scale.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this index measure the economic health of Michigan alone?
- No. The scope covers US consumers; Michigan is simply part of the survey's name.
- How do current conditions differ from consumer expectations?
- Current conditions focus on presently experienced circumstances, whereas expectations look ahead to personal finances and the economy in the period ahead.
- How do higher prices for durable goods affect the index?
- High prices can lead respondents to view it as an unfavorable time for major purchases, even if nominal incomes have not declined.