In March 2026, the U.S. Consumer Confidence Index declined by 6% month-on-month, ending at 53.3, below expectations and marking the lowest since December 2025!

Under the triple pressures of soaring energy prices, tense geopolitical situations, and cooling employment markets, consumers' expectations for future finances and economic prospects plummeted by 10% and 14%, respectively. The proportion of people saying "it's hard to find a job" also rose to its highest level since 2021.

High oil prices and shrinking consumption directly hit the U.S. stock market. The Federal Reserve is caught in a dilemma of "inflation vs. recession," and the risk of stagflation globally is shifting from expectation to reality… This chain reaction may have a deeper impact on the global economy than previously imagined.