US Present Situation Index (1985=100)
US Present Situation Index (1985=100) stood at 109.3 in Sep 2026. It is one of the indicators in the Consumer confidence (Conference Board) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Dec 2009 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Consumer confidence (Conference Board) table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Index (1985=100) | 81.9 | 88.6 | 90.2 | 92.2 | 90.6 | 93.8 | 92.2 | 91 | 89 | 94.2 | |
| Present Situation Index | 109.3 | 117.2 | 114.4 | 118.5 | 119.4 | 124.4 | 124.1 | 118.7 | 121.8 | 123.6 | |
| Expectations Index | 63.6 | 69.5 | 74 | 74.7 | 71.4 | 73.4 | 71 | 72.6 | 67.2 | 74.6 |
Understanding US Present Situation Index (1985=100)
The present situation component aggregates consumer assessments of current business conditions and job availability at the time of the survey. It describes contemporary perceptions rather than measuring actual output, job creation, or individual household living standards. Unlike the overall confidence index, this measure does not incorporate future outlooks; unlike individual response rates, it combines multiple evaluation choices into a single standardized score.
When reviewing the Monthly series, one should check whether changes align with both business and employment assessments or are driven by just one factor. Month-on-month comparisons are suitable for detecting shifts in sentiment, while year-on-year comparisons help mitigate noise from holiday schedules, weather, and seasonal hiring. The score does not represent the percentage of satisfied respondents and cannot be directly translated into economic growth rates. Survey errors or shifts in the respondent composition may cause fluctuations in the latest period.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this index an actual employment figure?
- No. It reflects how consumers perceive current jobs and business conditions, not the number of employed individuals.
- Why might current conditions be better than expectations?
- Respondents may view immediate jobs favorably while remaining concerned about upcoming prices, interest rates, or business prospects.
- What additional indicators should be reviewed to understand the drivers of fluctuations?
- The shares assessing jobs as plentiful, jobs hard to get, and business conditions help identify contributing components.