U.S. consumer confidence inches up even as the Iran war sends energy prices soaring

U.S. consumer confidence rose modestly in April despite growing anxiety over soaring energy prices brought on by the war in Iran.Recommended Video The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index inched up to 92.8 in April from 92.2 in March. Though the gauge measuring American consumers’ confidence has ticked up the past two months, the reading remains mired near its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents’ comments about prices, oil, gas and the war increased in April as the national average for a gallon of gas in the U.S. rose to $4.18 this week, up more than a dollar since before the war began. The last time U.S. drivers were collectively paying this much at the pump was nearly four years ago, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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