09/21/2026
US Confidence Hits Seven-Mo Low
Lately, I’ve noticed a shift in how people are feeling about the economy—something that’s echoed in the latest confidence numbers. In Mid-Q3, Americans actually felt a bit better about their current situation, but when it came to looking ahead—especially regarding income, business prospects, and job stability—confidence slipped to a seven-month low. The present-conditions index jumped about 7 points to 121, but the expectations index dropped by 6 points to 68, dipping below a threshold often linked with recession risk.
Early in the quarter, employers cut 23,000 jobs and unemployment ticked up to around 4%. This wasn’t because new jobs disappeared overnight, but more because some folks stepped back from the workforce altogether. Despite these headwinds, I’ve seen that homebuying expectations barely budged—demand kept rising, even as nearly 61% of people anticipated interest rates would climb even further.
With federal policymakers keeping rates steady and the market signaling little relief anytime soon, it looks like higher borrowing costs could be with us through the end of the year. For buyers and sellers in Northern Utah, this is exactly the type of environment where thoughtful strategy and steady guidance matter. I believe in looking beyond the headlines to help clients make decisions with both confidence and clarity, no matter what the numbers might say.
