FinancialsMar 18, 2021
Harsh Weather Weakens February Retail SalesSurveysApr 01, 2021
Consumer Confidence Surges to One-Year High in March
Shoppers are feeling the most optimistic about current conditions that they have since U.S. lockdowns first went into place.
Consumer confidence is the highest it has been in a year, according to The Conference Board’s latest survey.
New York—Consumer confidence in March was the highest it has been since the start of the pandemic shutdowns in the U.S.
Information and analytics company Nielsen conducts the Consumer Confidence Survey every month for The Conference Board; it gathered data for its most recent survey through March 19.
What it found in its latest survey is that consumers are feeling much better about current conditions.
The Consumer Confidence Index surged ahead in March to its highest reading in a year, up from 90.4 in February to 109.7.
Additionally, the Present Situation Index, which is based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions, was also up, rising from 89.6 to 110.0.
The Expectations Index, measuring consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, also improved, from 90.9 in February to 109.6 in March.
“Consumers’ assessment of current conditions and their short-term outlook improved significantly, an indication that economic growth is likely to strengthen further in the coming months,” said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board.
“Consumers’ renewed optimism boosted their purchasing intentions for homes, autos, and several big-ticket items. However, concerns of inflation in the short-term rose, most likely due to rising prices at the pump, and may temper spending intentions in the months ahead.”
Shopper assessment of current conditions improved dramatically in March, with the percentage of those indicating they believed business conditions are “good” increasing from 16.1 percent to 18.5 percent, while those saying they thought business conditions are “bad” fell from 39.7 percent to 30.5 percent.
Related stories will be right here …
Information and analytics company Nielsen conducts the Consumer Confidence Survey every month for The Conference Board; it gathered data for its most recent survey through March 19.
What it found in its latest survey is that consumers are feeling much better about current conditions.
The Consumer Confidence Index surged ahead in March to its highest reading in a year, up from 90.4 in February to 109.7.
Additionally, the Present Situation Index, which is based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions, was also up, rising from 89.6 to 110.0.
The Expectations Index, measuring consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, also improved, from 90.9 in February to 109.6 in March.
“Consumers’ assessment of current conditions and their short-term outlook improved significantly, an indication that economic growth is likely to strengthen further in the coming months,” said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board.
“Consumers’ renewed optimism boosted their purchasing intentions for homes, autos, and several big-ticket items. However, concerns of inflation in the short-term rose, most likely due to rising prices at the pump, and may temper spending intentions in the months ahead.”
Shopper assessment of current conditions improved dramatically in March, with the percentage of those indicating they believed business conditions are “good” increasing from 16.1 percent to 18.5 percent, while those saying they thought business conditions are “bad” fell from 39.7 percent to 30.5 percent.
Their assessment of the labor market was also more optimistic; the percentage of consumers saying jobs are “plentiful” increased from 21.6 percent to 26.3 percent, while those claiming jobs are “hard to get” declined from 22.4 percent to 18.5 percent.
And when it came to optimism about the short-term outlook and the job market, attitudes were markedly better.
The percentage of consumers saying they expect business conditions will improve over the next six months rose from 30.7 percent to 40.8 percent, while the percentage expecting conditions to worsen fell from 17.7 percent to 11.0 percent.
Meanwhile, the percentage expecting more jobs in the months ahead increased from 27.4 percent to 36.1 percent, and those anticipating fewer jobs declined from 21.3 percent to 13.4 percent.
And when it came to income fluctuations in the short term, 15.5 percent of consumers expect theirs to increase in the next six months, a slight increase from 14.8 percent that said the same in February. But 13.3 percent expect their income to decrease, which is also up slightly from 12.9 percent last month.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Surveys
The Latest
TrendsFeb 11, 2026
Halle Berry’s Retro Engagement Ring Is a Sapphire-Set StunnerSourced by For Future Reference Vintage, the yellow gold ring has a round center stone surrounded by step-cut sapphires.
MajorsFeb 11, 2026
Francesca’s Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy AgainThe clothing and accessories chain announced last month it would be closing all of its stores.
CollectionsFeb 11, 2026
Zales Turns Sweethearts Into Jewelry for Valentine’s Day CollectionThe “Zales x Sweethearts” collection features three mystery heart charms engraved with classic sayings seen on the Valentine’s Day candies.
Brought to you by
The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program: Attracting & Training the Next Generation of Bench JewelersLaunched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.
TechnologyFeb 11, 2026
Gemvision Symposium 2026 Slated for AprilThe event will include panel discussions, hands-on demonstrations of new digital manufacturing tools, and a jewelry design contest.
Weekly QuizFeb 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsFeb 11, 2026
TJS Announces Roundtable, Launches New AppRegistration is now open for The Jewelry Symposium, set to take place in Detroit from May 16-19.
SourcingFeb 10, 2026
At Meeting in South Africa, Support for Natural Diamonds Picks Up Steam Namibia has formally signed the Luanda Accord, while two key industry organizations pledged to join the Natural Diamond Council.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
TrendsFeb 10, 2026
Bad Bunny Wears Football-Shaped ‘Desert Diamond’ for Halftime PerformanceLady Gaga, Cardi B, and Karol G also went with diamond jewelry for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show honoring Puerto Rico.
FinancialsFeb 10, 2026
Kering Plans Transformation as 2025 Sales Sink 13%As star brand Gucci continues to struggle, the luxury titan plans to announce a new roadmap to return to growth.
SourcingFeb 10, 2026
AGTA To Debut ‘Stuller Color of the Year’ Spectrum Awards CategoryThe new category asks entrants for “exceptional” interpretations of the supplier’s 2026 color of the year, which is “Signature Red.”
Policies & IssuesFeb 09, 2026
U.S., India Trade Deal One Step Closer to Being FinalizedThe White House issued an official statement on the deal, which will eliminate tariffs on loose natural diamonds and gemstones from India.
Events & AwardsFeb 09, 2026
JA Now Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsEntries for the jewelry design competition will be accepted through March 20.
IndependentsFeb 09, 2026
James Free Jewelers Unveils Revamped FlagshipThe Ohio jeweler’s new layout features a curated collection of brand boutiques to promote storytelling and host in-store events.
TrendsFeb 09, 2026
These 14 Jewels Will Melt Your Heart This Valentine’s DayFrom heart motifs to pink pearls, Valentine’s Day is filled with jewelry imbued with love.
CrimeFeb 06, 2026
Florida Man Sentenced After Selling Fake Native American Jewelry for a Decade Prosecutors say the man attended arts and craft fairs claiming he was a third-generation jeweler who was a member of the Pueblo tribe.
FinancialsFeb 06, 2026
Pandora’s North America GM Departs Amid Executive ChangesNew CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier shared her priorities for the Danish jewelry company this year as part of its fourth-quarter results.
TrendsFeb 06, 2026
Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi Wear Matching Cece Jewellery Signet RingsOur Piece of the Week picks are these bespoke rings the “Wuthering Heights” stars have been spotted wearing during the film’s press tour.
MajorsFeb 05, 2026
Pandora to Begin Selling Platinum-Plated JewelryThe introduction of platinum plating will reduce its reliance on silver amid volatile price swings, said Pandora.
SourcingFeb 05, 2026
De Beers Lowers Production Guidance for 2026, Anglo Mulls Another WritedownIt would be the third impairment charge in three years on De Beers Group, which continues to grapple with a “challenging” diamond market.
IndependentsFeb 05, 2026
Borsheims to Undergo Massive Renovation in the Spring The Omaha jewelry store’s multi-million-dollar renovation is scheduled to begin in mid-May and take about six months.
CollectionsFeb 05, 2026
Marco Bicego’s Amethyst Collection Travels to a Purple ParadiseThe “Paradise Amethyst” collection focuses on amethyst, pink tourmaline, garnet, and 18-karat yellow gold beads.
FinancialsFeb 05, 2026
Watches of Switzerland Reports Strong Holiday Results in Q3The retailer credited its Roberto Coin campaign, in part, for boosting its North America sales.
ColumnistsFeb 04, 2026
January Jewelry Sales: More Dollars Spent, Fewer Units Sold Sherry Smith unpacks independent retailers’ January performance and gives tips for navigating the slow-growth year ahead.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
What Designers Should Know About Saks Global’s BankruptcyFrom how to get an invoice paid to getting merchandise returned, JVC’s Sara Yood answers some complex questions.
TrendsFeb 04, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: February Birthstone BlissAmethyst, the birthstone for February, is a gemstone to watch this year with its rich purple hue and affordable price point.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
Marco Bicego Names New Global Marketing DirectorThe Italian jewelry company appointed Matteo Cuelli to the newly created role.
