The U.S. Consumer Sentiment Index released Friday by the University of Michigan (UM) Surveys of Consumers stood at 56.4 in the January 2026 survey, up from 52.9 in December but below last January's 71.7.
The Current Economic Conditions Index was 55.4, up from 50.4 in December but below last January's 75.1. The Index of Consumer Expectations came in at 57.0, up from 54.6 in December but below last January's 69.5.
Despite the improvement, national sentiment remains more than 20 percent below a year ago, as consumers continue to report pressures on their budgets stemming from high prices and the prospect of weakening incomes, said Joanne Hsu, director of the UM's Surveys of Consumers.
The survey found that overall, consumers remain focused on bread-and-butter issues, like the purchasing power of their incomes.
About 45 percent of consumers spontaneously mentioned that high prices were eroding their living standards, compared with 34 percent a year ago, and about 73 percent reported that it is a bad time to buy vehicles, with prices serving as the most-mentioned reason.
In January, about 62 percent of consumers expected unemployment to worsen in the year ahead, down slightly from December's 63 percent, the survey showed.
The University of Michigan specifically mentioned that interviews for this release concluded on Jan 19, two days after U.S. President Donald Trump's social media post announcing additional tariffs on eight countries in Europe.
U.S. consumer sentiment rises in Jan, still burdened by high prices
U.S. consumer sentiment rises in Jan, still burdened by high prices
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo arrived in Beijing on Sunday to pay an official visit to China from Jan. 25 to 28, at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
During the visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with the Finnish prime minister, while Chinese Premier Li and Chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji will hold talks and meet with Orpo, respectively, to conduct in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern.
Finland was among the first Western countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and was the first European country to sign an inter-governmental trade agreement with China. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state in recent years, the future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership between the two countries has been deepened, and cooperation in various fields has been steadily advanced.
In 2025, bilateral trade between China and Finland exceeded 8 billion U.S. dollars in value, while mutual investment stock surpassed 23 billion U.S. dollars, reflecting sustained enthusiasm of enterprises from both sides for strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation.
During Orpo's visit, China's Ministry of Commerce will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Finnish side on strengthening the work of the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation, and enterprises from both sides will sign a number of business cooperation agreements, said a spokesperson for the ministry.
Orpo will be accompanied by executives from more than 20 Finnish companies spanning machinery, forestry, innovation, clean energy, food and other key sectors, according to the spokesperson.
China attaches great importance to the development of China-Finland relations, and stands ready to work with Finland to maintain close high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen economic and trade cooperation, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, foster mutual understanding and collaboration in multilateral affairs, and jointly elevate bilateral relations to a new height, said a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Finnish PM arrives in Beijing for 4-day visit to China
