Consumer Confidence Plummets as Global Economic Uncertainty Rises

In today's episode, we delve into the sharp decline in US consumer confidence, with a 27.1% drop from last year, and explore the Federal Reserve's decision to maintain interest rates amid economic uncertainty. We also examine the surge in global economic policy uncertainty driven by escalating trade tensions, and its impact on growth projections and financial markets. Join us as we discuss the implications for consumers, businesses, and policymakers navigating this complex economic landscape. Sources: https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/march-2025-lsegipsos-primary-consumer-sentiment-index https://getfea.com/end-use/university-of-michigan-releases-preliminary-results-of-its-consumer-sentiment-index-for-march https://thumbwind.com/2025/03/17/consumer-confidence-in-michigan/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/consumer-sentiment-confidence-report-march-2025-tariffs-inflation-trump/ https://lipperalpha.refinitiv.com/reports/2025/03/consumer-confidence-continues-unsteady-start-to-2025-as-expectations-index-falls-sharply/ https://www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/2025/03/14/consumer-sentiment-sinks-to-lowest-level-since-2022 https://www.axios.com/2025/03/14/consumer-sentiment-march-plunge-inflation https://www.retaildive.com/news/tariffs-trigger-plunge-consumer-sentiment-inflation-Trump-trade-Fed-Federal-Reserve-Powell/742733/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mObpNmIv0Wo https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/foodservice-retail/experts-see-worrisome-economic-indicators-in-the-u-s https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20250319a1.htm https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/federal-reserve-interest-rate-decision-march-2025 https://mp.morningstar.com/en-us/articles/blt49b55f54e3648c8b/fed-holds-rates-steady-cuts-2025-growth-projection https://www.federalreserve.gov/mediacenter/files/FOMCpresconf20250319.pdf https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/fomcprojtabl20250319.pdf https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomcprojtabl20250319.htm https://www.visualcapitalist.com/global-economic-policy-uncertainty-1997-2025/ https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/economic-policy-uncertainty-index-for-united-states-fed-data.html https://www.centralbank.ie/news/article/quarterly-bulletin-2025-1---unprecedented-rise-in-policy-uncertainty-due-to-shift-in-geoeconomic-relationships https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/fomcprojtabl20250319.pdf https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomcprojtabl20250319.htm https://www.csis.org/analysis/policy-volatility-beckons-disorderly-economic-transition https://en.macromicro.me/charts/26279/us-epu https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/global-economic-outlook-march-2025 https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2025/03/OECD-IEO-03-2025/IEO-PPT-EN-march-2025.pdf https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-economic-outlook-interim-report-march-2025_89af4857-en.html https://www.fitchratings.com/research/sovereigns/world-growth-forecasts-cut-sharply-as-us-starts-global-trade-war-18-03-2025