NMMA - National Marine Manufacturers Association Inc.
07/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/29/2026 06:28
July Consumer Confidence Slips, but Spending Plans Hold
Consumer confidence declined modestly in July, reflecting continued caution among Americans even as planned purchases suggest household spending intentions remain resilient. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index fell 1.4 points to 90.8, below the consensus forecast of 92.4, marking the third consecutive month of softer assessments of current conditions.
Cost-of-living pressures continue to weigh on sentiment. While the survey period overlapped with renewed conflict in the Middle East, consumer references to war and geopolitical tensions declined. Mentions of food and grocery prices, however, increased.
Despite softer confidence, consumers do not appear to be pulling back broadly on planned purchases. On a six-month moving average basis, purchase intentions increased across several durable goods categories, including TVs, refrigerators and washing machines. Plans to purchase homes and vehicles also rose.
Confidence varied by income, with higher-income households remaining relatively more optimistic, suggesting purchasing power remains stronger among some consumers. Meanwhile, the Expectations Index remained steady at 74.7.
The July data continues to highlight a disconnect between how consumers feel about the broader economy and how they expect to spend. While concerns around costs, economic conditions and geopolitical uncertainty remain elevated, those concerns have not yet translated into a broad retreat from major purchase plans.
NMMA will continue tracking consumer sentiment and its impact on the industry. Members are encouraged to leverage tools such as the Monthly Industry Data Summary and Marine Leadership Barometer to support planning and navigate evolving market dynamics.
For more economic updates and data-driven insights, visit nmma.org/statistics or contact the NMMA Business Intelligence team at [email protected].
This analysis was prepared by NMMA and Dr. Shawn DuBravac on behalf of NMMA.
NMMA - National Marine Manufacturers Association Inc. published this content on July 29, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 29, 2026 at 12:28 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]