Consumer confidence has plummeted. What does it mean for the economy?

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® fell sharply in January, from 94.2 in December to 84.5. Consumers' assessment of both current business and labor market conditions, and their short-term outlook of the same, fell by 9.9 and 9.5 points, respectively, to 65.1, well below the threshold of 80 that typically signals a recession ahead.

Write-in responses showed a continuation in references to prices and inflation, oil and gas prices, and food and grocery prices. Mentions of tariffs and trade, politics, and the labor market also rose in January.

Join Dana M. Peterson and guest Erin McLaughlin, Senior Economist, to find out what's behind consumers' thinking and the current state of US trade.

For more from The Conference Board:

• US Consumer Confidence

• Forecast for the US Economy

• Global Economic Outlook

Find out how governance and sustainability are evolving, including what's next for ESG.

Change is coming for governance leaders, whether it's the evolution of ESG, the risks around AI, or an increased focus on strategic execution. How can these executives adapt in this rapidly changing and uncertain environment?

Join Steve Odland and guest Brian Campbell, leader of the US Governance & Sustainability Center and general counsel at The Conference Board, to find out why ESG is becoming more disciplined, why AI presents both opportunities and risks, and why revenue growth is increasingly part of the governance team's remit.

For more from The Conference Board:

• C-Suite Outlook 2026

• CEO and C-Suite ESG Priorities for 2026

• 2026: A Year in Preview

CEOs are increasingly at risk, both physically and digitally. Find out what's new in corporate risk preparedness.

The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in 2024 has forced companies to rethink their executive security posture, both in terms of physical and digital security. How can companies and boards assess their security readiness?

Join Steve Odland and guest Bill Udell, CEO of Control Risks' Americas region, to learn about how executive security has evolved in recent years, the biggest gaps in risk preparedness, and why AI and deepfakes only complicate the security challenges.

For more from The Conference Board:

• CEO and Executive Compensation Practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500: 2025

• Report: Women CEOs Outearn Men, and Companies Increase CEO Security Packages

• AI Risk Disclosures in the S&P 500: Reputation, Cybersecurity, and Regulation

Our latest C-Suite Outlook reveals CEOs' biggest concerns—and why they're measuring the ROI of AI.

US CEOs rank economic and geopolitical uncertainty as top risk factors for 2026, according to the C-Suite Outlook 2026 survey from The Conference Board. How can CEOs overcome the lack of policy certainty while making investments that lead to long-term success?

Join Steve Odland and guest David Young, president of the Committee for Economic Development, the public policy center of The Conference Board, to find out why CEOs continue to seek regulatory consistency, how they plan to grow their businesses this year, and how CEOs are evolving their view of AI investment.

For more from The Conference Board:

• Uncertainty and Opportunity: The CEO Playbook for 2026

• The CEO Outlook for 2026—Uncertainty, Risks, Growth & Strategy

• 2026: A Year in Preview

The survey would not have been possible without the support of Ipsos, one of the world's leading market research companies and the sole sponsor for the C-Suite Outlook Survey 2026.

Find out how CEOs are planning to win this year amid a world of uncertainty.

As 2026 begins, CEOs are worried about uncertainty — in the economy, geopolitics, trade policy, supply chains, and more. What does the C-Suite Outlook 2026 survey tell us about how CEOs plan to grow and invest despite the headwinds?

Join Steve Odland and guest Dana M. Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board and leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, to find out what's next for AI, which areas companies are investing in, and where CEOs are optimistic for 2026.

For more from The Conference Board:

• Uncertainty and Opportunity: The CEO Playbook for 2026

• The CEO Outlook for 2026—Uncertainty, Risks, Growth & Strategy

• 2026: A Year in Preview

Learn how companies can develop a strategy to redesign their structures and processes for AI.

AI not only transforms how companies operate, it's also transforming how they differentiate, according to a new report by The Conference Board. How can companies reimagine themselves with AI at every level of the enterprise?

Join Steve Odland and guests Erka Amursi and Matt Rosenbaum, both principal researchers at The Conference Board Human Capital Center, to find out what makes AI different than previous technologies, why AI strategy needs to mix " top-down and bottom-up elements," and why human-designed systems need to be reimagined for an AI world.

For more from The Conference Board:

• Transforming Organizations for AI: Critical Factors for AI Success

• How Are GEO & AI Agents Transforming Reputation Management?

• Workers' AI Optimism Abounds: How Workers Say AI Affects Their Jobs

Learn how businesses can store and even process goods without incurring immediate tariff obligations.

The effective US tariff rate soared to 17% in 2025. What options are available to businesses that need to import goods but want to mitigate tariff burdens?

Join Alex Heil and guest Erin McLaughlin, senior economist at The Conference Board in the Economy, Strategy & Finance (ESF) Center, to find out what foreign trade zones and bonded warehouses are, how they differ from each other, and how businesses can use them wisely in this uncertain tariff environment.

For more from The Conference Board:

• Supply Chain Strategies for Tariffs: Foreign Trade Zones, Bonded Warehouses

• Tariff Tracker

• For Manufacturers, This Old Solution May Ease Today's Tariff Troubles

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Dana Peterson and Allen Li unpack the latest Consumer Confidence Index® and the surprisingly strong Q3 US GDP report.

US consumer confidence edged lower in December, marking the fifth consecutive monthly decline and ending the year on a cautious note. While confidence improved after the federal government shutdown ended, expectations for the next six months remain weak, at levels that are often associated with rising recession risk.

On the upside, Q3 GDP grew at a 4.3% annualized rate, well above expectations. Strong consumer spending, particularly on services and healthcare, drove much of this. Dana and Allen also discuss how data disruptions from the government shutdown may affect future revisions and what the report could mean for Q4 growth and Federal Reserve policy.

For more from The Conference Board:

• Consumer Confidence Index

• Robust Q3: Finding a Signal in the Noise

Only 33% of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic gets recycled in the US. What are the obstacles, and how can businesses contribute to greater plastics sustainability and circularity?

Join Alex Heil and guest John Galt, chairman and former CEO of Husky Technologies, to learn about designing an extended producer responsibility system, why most microplastics originate in vehicle tires and city dust, and how businesses can reduce "material tourism" to save money and increase sustainability.

For more from The Conference Board:

• Circular Economy and Corporate Sustainability: Emerging Practices

• Sustainability Under Scrutiny: Corporate ESG in an Uncertain Policy Environment

• Effective Sustainability Messaging Should Tap Emotions

What is neuro-symbolic AI, and how can it help businesses generate value in new ways?

If generative AI is a productivity engine, then neuro-symbolic AI promises to be the growth engine that turns data into business value. But what is this technology, and why should C-Suite leaders move quickly to explore its potential?

Join Ivan Pollard and guest Jeff Schumacher, Growth Platforms leader at EY-Parthenon, to find out how neuro-symbolic AI differs from other AI, how it avoids problems of inaccuracy and bias, and what we can learn from "Moneyball."

For more from The Conference Board:

• Is AI Delivering? The ROI on AI

• AI Search and Its Impact on Marketing

• Learning for the Future: Preparing Organizations and Workers for AI Disruption