News — August 4, 2022 (Salt Lake City) – Utah’s consumer sentiment fell in July, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumers. The Utah index fell to 62.9 in July, compared to 64.4 in June. A similar survey for the United States showed consumer sentiment rising slightly, increasing to 51.5 in July compared to 50.0 in June. This is the first month since the Gardner Institute began tracking consumer sentiment in October 2020 where the Utah index has fallen while national sentiment increased.
“Consumer’s expectations about the economy can impact day-to-day purchasing behavior and thus economic cycles,” said Gardner Institute Chief Economist Phil Dean. “Concerns about high inflation, including fuel prices, continues to affect consumer sentiment in Utah. High fuel prices are a particularly salient price for consumers, although the prices have dropped in recent weeks. Emerging signals suggest low-income households face financial stress that is beginning to alter their purchasing behavior.”
The Utah Consumer Sentiment Survey uses comparable questions to the University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers. These questions measure residents’ views of present and future economic conditions. Both surveys include a random sample of consumers, including demographic questions to assess the representativeness of the sample.
The full results
Source: Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and University of Michigan
###
ABOUT THE GARDNER POLICY INSTITUTE
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute serves Utah by preparing economic, demographic, and public policy research that helps the state prosper. We are Utah’s demographic experts, leaders on the Utah economy, and specialists on public policy and survey research. We are an honest broker of INFORMED RESEARCH, which guides INFORMED DISCUSSIONS, and leads to INFORMED DECISIONS™. For more information, please visit gardner.utah.edu or call 801-587-3717.
ABOUT THE DAVID ECCLES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
The Eccles School is synonymous with ‘doing.’ The Eccles experience provides a world-class business education with a unique, entrepreneurial focus on real-world scenarios where students put what they learn into practice long before graduation. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBAs, eight other graduate programs, a Ph.D. in seven areas and executive education curricula. The School is also home to 12 institutes, centers, and initiatives, which deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.