SurveysMar 19, 2026
NRF Forecasts 4% Retail Sales Growth in 2026SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in March
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
Consumer confidence increased again, but the cost of living continues to weigh on consumers’ minds, The Conference Board’s latest survey shows. In March, consumers were particularly concerned with the cost of gas, which has increased significantly since the start of the war in Iran.
New York—Consumer confidence inched up for the second month in a row, with an improved outlook on the present outweighing consumers’ pessimism about the near future.
The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index rose to 91.8 in March (the baseline for the index is 100), up from a downwardly revised 91.0 in February.
March’s index is a tale of two attitudes: consumers are feeling better about the present but are less sure about the future.
The Present Situation Index, which measures consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions, increased 4.6 points month-over-month to 123.3.
However, the Expectations Index, which is based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, slipped 1.7 points to 70.9.
The Conference Board pointed out that while it did not impact overall confidence, consumers’ average and median inflation expectations “surged” in March to levels not seen since August 2025, when everyone was waiting for more tariff announcements.
The increase, The Conference Board said, was due to rising costs caused by tariff passthrough and the spike in oil prices following the start of the war in Iran, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.
The cost of living also continues to dominate survey-takers’ write-in responses.
The Conference Board’s Chief Economist Dana M. Peterson, said, “Consumers’ write-in responses on factors affecting the economy continued to skew towards pessimism. Comments about prices and the cost of goods suggest that the cost of living remained at the top of consumers’ minds.
“As the war in Iran overlapped significantly with the survey sample period, comments about oil/gas and war/conflict spiked, while specific mentions of trade and tariffs decreased notably.”
Related stories will be right here …
The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index rose to 91.8 in March (the baseline for the index is 100), up from a downwardly revised 91.0 in February.
March’s index is a tale of two attitudes: consumers are feeling better about the present but are less sure about the future.
The Present Situation Index, which measures consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions, increased 4.6 points month-over-month to 123.3.
However, the Expectations Index, which is based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, slipped 1.7 points to 70.9.
The Conference Board pointed out that while it did not impact overall confidence, consumers’ average and median inflation expectations “surged” in March to levels not seen since August 2025, when everyone was waiting for more tariff announcements.
The increase, The Conference Board said, was due to rising costs caused by tariff passthrough and the spike in oil prices following the start of the war in Iran, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.
The cost of living also continues to dominate survey-takers’ write-in responses.
The Conference Board’s Chief Economist Dana M. Peterson, said, “Consumers’ write-in responses on factors affecting the economy continued to skew towards pessimism. Comments about prices and the cost of goods suggest that the cost of living remained at the top of consumers’ minds.
“As the war in Iran overlapped significantly with the survey sample period, comments about oil/gas and war/conflict spiked, while specific mentions of trade and tariffs decreased notably.”
The Conference Board’s survey also gives insight into consumer confidence by demographic, as well as consumers’ purchasing plans and their views on the likelihood of a recession.
In March, respondents under 35 remained the most optimistic, while those 55 and over were the least optimistic.
By income level, confidence on a six-month moving average basis continued to decline for six of the eight income groups. Only consumers earning $25,000 to $34,999, and those earning more than $125,000 were a little more optimistic.
Confidence by political affiliation was unchanged.
Republicans remained the most optimistic about the economy, while consumer confidence was lower among Independents and lowest among Democrats.
When asked about their plans to make major purchases in the next six months, more consumers answered “no” in March.
Among those who do plan to purchase big-ticket items, used cars—which continue to be preferred over new cars—furniture, TVs, and smartphones were the most popular items within their respective categories.
Consumers who said they planned to spend more on services over the next six months also went from “yes” and “maybe” in February to “no” in March.
The Conference Board noted that utilities and healthcare landed in the top five among future spending categories, leapfrogging hotels/motels for personal travel.
“This displacement is consistent with the dip in overall vacation plans over the next six months, and consumers’ continued complaints about rising electricity and healthcare costs,” The Conference Board said.
It also noted that while domestic travel plans remained buoyant in March, fewer survey-takers said they plan to travel out of the country, likely due to conflicts abroad.
Technology company Toluna conducts The Conference Board’s monthly Consumer Confidence Survey. The cutoff date for the preliminary results was March 24.
More on Surveys
The Latest
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
Weekly QuizAug 07, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsAug 07, 2026
Look Ahead with Syna’s Binoculars PendantThe “Star Gazer” pendant, our Piece of the Week, is Syna’s tribute to curiosity and the discovery of something new.
CrimeAug 06, 2026
Lalique Museum to Remain Closed Following $5M HeistMuseum officials are looking to the public to help cover the “exceptional” costs involved in recovering from the July 5 smash-and-grab.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
Claire’s Revamps Piercing Services for Second Time in Three Years The overhaul includes enhanced employee safety training and trendy earring styles, including lab-grown diamond studs.
FinancialsAug 06, 2026
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 6%, Driven by High-Income ShoppersThe retailer said it had its biggest Mother’s Day ever, with strong demand for higher-priced jewelry.
TrendsAug 06, 2026
New Book on Handcrafted American Objects Highlights Jewelry“Handwork: Handcrafted Objects that Made America” features historic and contemporary works, including a Diné squash blossom necklace.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
AJA East Coast Names Ani Khachian as First Female President-ElectThe Armenian Jewelers Association’s East Coast chapter has also elected its 2026–2027 board of directors.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Private Equity Firm Wants to Buy 100+ JCPenney StoresOnyx Partners has submitted a second offer to buy the department stores after its first offer fell through last year.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Atlanta Jeweler Introduces $10K MartiniSolomon Brothers Jewelers has partnered with local cocktail bar Roaring Social on a new martini garnished with a tennis necklace.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Another Member of the Siegel Family Joins Hamilton Jewelers Benjamin Siegel, son of President and CEO Hank Siegel, started working for the family business this week.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Bulgari Opens Store in San DiegoThe new space features a modern design that blends Bulgari’s Roman heritage with San Diego’s coastal spirit.
CrimeAug 04, 2026
Crew of Thieves Break Into Indiana Jeweler’s HomeFour men were charged in connection with the break-in and accused of stealing $365,000 in cash, jewelry, and designer goods.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Pandora Hires Former Signet Board Member to Lead North American MarketAndré Branch has more than 25 years of experience with various brands, most recently serving as CEO of Ariana Grande’s cosmetics company.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Sasha Primak Acquires GemlokNew York-based atelier Gemlok is best known for creating the innovative “bridge” setting that became popular in the bridal market.
CollectionsAug 04, 2026
Musician Carlos Santana Launches Jewelry BrandSantana Now's debut collection, “Unidad,” features symbolic motifs as well as pieces of wood from the Woodstock stage.
CrimeAug 03, 2026
Florida Man Gets 15 Years in Trio of Jewelry Store RobberiesThe 50-year-old man pleaded guilty earlier this year to robbing two jewelry stores and a pawn shop of more than $700,000 in merchandise.
WatchesAug 03, 2026
Citizen's New Spider-Man Watch Is a Collector’s DreamThe watch’s dial features an original design by Marvel comics illustrator Adam Kubert.
Lab-GrownAug 03, 2026
Chatham Releases First Men’s CollectionThe new collection of lab-grown diamond and colored gemstone jewelry provides a “fresh perspective” on the category, Chatham said.
TrendsAug 03, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Spinel vs. Peridot While some August babies are team peridot, the month's time-honored birthstone, others are team spinel, the newer alternative.
TrendsJul 31, 2026
These Pieces of the Week Are Sweet Edina Kiss’ “Popsicle” pendant and Karina Choudhrie’s “Ice Cream” charm satisfy that summer craving for a sweet piece of jewelry.
MajorsJul 31, 2026
Macy’s Iconic Red Shopping Bag Sign Torn DownThe massive billboard has been in the same spot on the department store’s Herald Square flagship store for decades.
SourcingJul 31, 2026
Gemfields’ H1 Revenue Jumps 72%The miner’s ruby and emerald auctions brought in a combined $102.9 million.
