--- title: "US consumer confidence hits decade low amid job market concerns" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/us-consumer-confidence-hits-decade-low-amid-job-market-concerns" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/us-consumer-confidence-hits-decade-low-amid-job-market-concerns" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/us-consumer-confidence-hits-decade-low-amid-job-market-concerns.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/us-consumer-confidence-hits-decade-low-amid-job-market-concerns" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-10-02T05:45:49.248Z" source_reported: "2026-10-02T04:02:39.000Z" updated: "2026-10-02T05:45:49.248Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 70 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-02T06:45:22.773917+00:00" --- # US consumer confidence hits decade low amid job market concerns *Despite a steady job market, Americans report lowest confidence in over ten years.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to named bodies and supported by multiple independent sources. - Craft 70 of 100, higher is better. Reporting is clear, well-structured, and includes expert commentary and data. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. Headline accurately reflects the article's content without sensationalism. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - US consumer confidence has dropped to its lowest level in more than 10 years, according to the Conference Board. - Forecasters expect employers added 90,000 jobs in September, with unemployment remaining at 4.1%. - More than 28% of respondents expect fewer jobs in six months, double the 14% who expect more. - Only 17% of US adults approve of President Trump's handling of the cost of living, and 26% approve of his economic handling. Consumer confidence in the United States has fallen to its lowest point in more than a decade, despite a job market that has remained relatively stable. Forecasters anticipate that employers added 90,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate is expected to remain at 4.1%. The Conference Board's index of consumer confidence shows a significant drop this month. A key factor contributing to this decline is the outlook for future employment, with over 28% of respondents expecting fewer jobs in the next six months, a figure double that of those anticipating more jobs. Glassdoor's employee confidence index also reached its lowest point since early 2016 last month. Public sentiment regarding the economy comes ahead of midterm elections. A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that only 17% of US adults approve of President Trump's management of the cost of living, and 26% approve of his overall economic handling, marking a new low for this metric. ## Disagreement on job market dynamics While official numbers suggest a sturdy job market, ordinary Americans are not feeling it. Washington Top News reported that employers are neither laying off many workers nor hiring many, describing it as a "low-hire, low-fire" market. The average unemployed person had been out of work for more than six months in August, the longest stretch since February 2022. The Independent (US) and The Seattle Times also reported on the disconnect between official figures and public sentiment. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mention the average duration of unemployment in August, which was more than six months. The left-rated and centre-rated reports also did not include specific details from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco researchers regarding the shrinking pipeline into employment for young or less experienced workers. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 57% (4) - Centre: 29% (2) - Right: 14% (1) 0 of 7 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-02T06:45:22.773917+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 8 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-02T07:45:21.066Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Reports from The Independent (US), The Seattle Times, The Record, and The Independent all highlighted the stark contrast between the official job market numbers and the low consumer confidence. These reports quoted Glassdoor chief economist Daniel Zhao on employee anxiety and the difficulty jobseekers face. They also noted the low approval ratings for President Trump's handling of the cost of living and the economy, linking public discontent to the upcoming midterm elections. ### Centre - Washington Top News and My Mother Lode focused on the discrepancy between the sturdy job market figures and the low consumer confidence. Both reports cited the Conference Board's index and Glassdoor's employee confidence index, noting the longest average joblessness since February 2022. They also included President Trump's low approval ratings for his economic and cost-of-living management. ### Right - The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer digest noted that the US job market has proven sturdy despite various economic shocks. It mentioned that forecasters expect employers to add 90,000 jobs in September and unemployment to remain at 4.1%. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 4 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/news/2026/10/confidence-about-the-economy-is-in-short-supply-despite-a-relatively-solid-job-market) — Confidence about the economy is in short supply despite a relatively solid job market – WTOP News - [My Mother Lode](https://mymotherlode.com/news/national/11187084/confidence-about-the-economy-is-in-short-supply-despite-a-relatively-solid-job-market.html) — Confidence about the economy is in short supply despite a relatively solid job market - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/business/confidence-about-the-economy-is-in-short-supply-despite-a-relatively-solid-job-market) — Confidence about the economy is in short supply despite a relatively solid job market - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/donald-trump-glassdoor-washington-iran-people-b3060167.html) — Confidence about the economy is in short supply despite a relatively solid job market - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/donald-trump-glassdoor-washington-iran-people-b3060167.html) — Confidence about the economy is in short supply despite a relatively solid job market - [The Record](https://therecord.com/business/confidence-about-the-economy-is-in-short-supply-despite-a-relatively-solid-job-market/article_c5622655-16ff-56e7-a519-b1b6d0811921.html) — Confidence about the economy is in short supply despite a relatively solid job market - [Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer](https://messenger-inquirer.com/ap/elections/confidence-about-the-economy-is-in-short-supply-despite-a-relatively-solid-job-market/article_c58b38bc-f570-5b3c-baf8-14d82e790815.html) — Confidence about the economy is in short supply despite a relatively solid job market ## Questions **What is the current state of US consumer confidence?** US consumer confidence has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to an index published by the Conference Board. This indicates a significant decline in how Americans feel about the economy. **What are the expectations for the September jobs report?** Forecasters surveyed by the data firm FactSet expect that employers added 90,000 jobs in September. The unemployment rate is anticipated to remain low at 4.1%. **How do Americans view President Trump's handling of the economy?** A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that only 17% of US adults approve of President Trump's handling of the cost of living. Just 26% approve of his overall economic handling, marking a new low. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/us-consumer-confidence-hits-decade-low-amid-job-market-concerns. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "US consumer confidence hits decade low amid job market concerns", https://mediabias.news/politics/us-consumer-confidence-hits-decade-low-amid-job-market-concerns