Americans Suddenly More Optimistic—Slightly—About The Economy

ByTy Roush,

Forbes Staff.

Views on the U.S. economy improved among Americans in December, the first boost since July despite settling near historic lows, according to a widely tracked survey released Friday by the University of Michigan.

Consumer sentiment—a monthly assessment of Americans’ views on the economy—rose to 53.3 in December from 51 in November, which neared the all-time low set in 2022, a reading of the University of Michigan’s study found.

December’s reading surpassed Wall Street’s estimates of 52.