The U.S. Consumer Sentiment Index released Friday by the University of Michigan (UM) Surveys of Consumers rose to 52.9 in the December 2025 survey, up from 51 in November but below last December's 74.
Consumer sentiment remains nearly 30 percent below December 2024, in large part due to continued concerns about pocketbook issues, particularly the strain of high prices and the prospect of further weakening of labor markets, said Joanne Hsu, director of the UM's Surveys of Consumers.
The Current Economic Conditions Index fell to 50.4, down from 51.1 in November and below last December's 75.1. The Index of Consumer Expectations rose to 54.6, up from 51 in November and below last December's 73.3.
About 47 percent of consumers spontaneously mentioned that high prices are weighing down their personal finances, unchanged from November and well above the 35 percent seen a year ago. High prices as well as the impact of tariffs continue to be top issues for consumers when it comes to major purchases, the survey shows.
Throughout 2025, consumers have anticipated that a deterioration in labor markets loomed ahead. In December, about 63 percent of consumers expected unemployment to worsen in the year ahead, up from 40 percent a year ago.
"The escalation of tariffs in this past spring spurred fears of catastrophic inflation among consumers," Hsu said. "While those fears abated as tariff policy have since eased, consumers are still expecting inflation to remain elevated for the foreseeable future, thus diluting the potential purchasing power of their budgets."
U.S. consumer sentiment rises slightly in December: survey
U.S. consumer sentiment rises slightly in December: survey
China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.
"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.
This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.
By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.
The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.
"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.
China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting
