State of the Economy for August 2026

Consumer confidence edged lower in August as expectations weakened, even as consumers' assessment of current conditions improved. Yelena Shulyatyeva, Senior US Economist, The Conference Board and Allen Li, Associate Economist, The Conference Board examine what the latest data reveal about jobs, inflation, and recession concerns. They also preview Jackson Hole and discuss what Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's address could mean for interest rates, Treasury yields, and monetary policy. For more from The Conference Board: US Consumer Confidence Forecast for the US Economy Global Economic Outlook