Consumer Confidence in Job Prospects Hits 5-Year Low

American consumers are increasingly pessimistic about their job prospects, according to new Conference Board data. The June installment of the board’s Employment Trends Index (ETI), released Monday (July 6) showed that the share of consumers who reported that “jobs are hard to get” climbed to 22.5% last month, its highest level since January 2021. Meanwhile, initial unemployment claims rose for the second straight month to 222,000, the highest monthly average logged thus far in 2026.