US consumer confidence rebounded more than expected in February, new data showed Tuesday, though worsening sentiment around job prospects could signal turmoil ahead.
While Americans’ short-term expectations for incomes and businesses improved, the share of consumers that view jobs as “hard to get” hit a five-year high.
The economy has been growing and inflation has cooled, but a downbeat public has dented President Donald Trump’s narrative of an economic turnaround.
Trump will aim to sell Americans on his handling of the economy during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, but it will be a tough task given that polling shows voters remain concerned about costs and are increasingly souring on the president’s performance.