Consumer confidence in the U.S. saw a sharp decline in September 2024, marking the largest drop in over three years. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell to 98.7, down significantly from August’s 105.6. This steep fall reflects growing anxiety about labor market conditions, wages, and overall business sentiment as Americans become increasingly uncertain about the economy's future. The Present Situation Index, which gauges consumers' perceptions of current business and labor conditions, dropped by over 10 points to 124.3, signaling a more pessimistic view of the economy's health. Meanwhile, the Expectations Index, which measures short-term economic outlooks for income and job availability, fell to 81.7, its lowest reading since 2021. Although the expectations figure is above the critical threshold of 80—often seen as a recessionary signal—analysts still believe the economic outlook is uncertain. BREAKING: Consumer confidence falls the most in three years Small businesses rely on strong consumers, but under the Biden-Harris Administration, Americans are facing rising prices, constant uncertainty and now falling confidence.https://t.co/ZfXletEDia — House Committee on Small Business (@HouseSmallBiz) September 24, 2024 This dip in confidence was most pronounced among those aged 35 to 54, who showed the greatest decline in sentiment. The group also saw their confidence levels drop on a six-month average, while younger Americans, particularly those under 35, remain relatively optimistic. Analysts attribute the widespread dip in confidence to persistent concerns about inflation, job security, and rising interest rates​. Another key factor driving this decline is the labor market, where signs of cooling are emerging. While unemployment remains low, there have been fewer job openings and reduced hours for some workers, which has raised concerns. Despite these challenges, the labor market still appears relatively healthy, with few layoffs reported, but confidence in continued wage growth has weakened. As a result, consumers are increasingly cautious about their economic prospects​. For consumers making more than $125k, confidence is at its highest since this past January … for those making $15k-$24.9k, confidence is at its lowest since February 2021 pic.twitter.com/M4g2QdReVX — Kevin Gordon (@KevRGordon) September 24, 2024 Moreover, inflation continues to weigh heavily on American households, despite a general slowdown in price increases. In September, inflation expectations among consumers rose slightly to 5.2%, though still below the 7.9% peak observed in March 2022. Inflation concerns remain prevalent, with consumers frequently citing rising prices in sectors like housing and energy as key reasons for their economic unease. One notable shift has been in consumers' expectations for interest rates. For the fourth consecutive month, fewer Americans now expect interest rates to rise over the next year. Only 46.5% of respondents anticipate higher rates, the lowest level recorded since February 2024. In contrast, the share of people expecting lower rates has increased, reflecting cautious optimism that the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate hikes might be nearing an end​. Despite the economic challenges, stock market expectations among consumers have remained relatively stable. The proportion of people expecting stock prices to rise in the next year dropped slightly to 47.6%, while 25% expect the market to decline, suggesting a more cautious but steady outlook for financial markets​. The drop in consumer confidence comes at a critical time as businesses and policymakers assess how ongoing inflation, rising borrowing costs, and a softening labor market might impact broader economic growth. While the U.S. economy has shown resilience in the face of multiple headwinds, the latest figures highlight growing anxiety among Americans. If consumer confidence continues to erode, it could signal deeper economic troubles ahead, particularly if inflation and labor market challenges persist into 2025. The post September Consumer Confidence Plummets to Lowest Level in Three Years Amid Growing Economic Concerns appeared first on The Conservative Brief.

When this Golden Doodle was introduced to his newborn brother, he was a bit terrified of him. Mom and Dad couldn’t tell if this poor pup was pleasantly confused or petrified of the new addition. Regardless, they shared the dog’s hilarious reaction to their TikTok channel. Golden Doodle Welcomes Newborn…Sort Of @gpm1798 Replying to @Ola JasmineAlep he was pleasently confuzzled to say the least #doodlesoftiktok #goldendoodle #boymom #dogmom #mom #momsoftiktok #firsttimemom #newborn #dogmeetsbaby #firsttimemom #pregnancytiktok #babytiktok #mansbestfriend ♬ Bundle of Joy (From “Inside Out”) – Mark Northam These happy new parents brought their baby boy home to meet their first child, their dog. However, the Golden Doodle had a surprising reaction to the newborn; he was petrified of him. The video starts with the dog sniffing the baby with vigor. Mom asks, “Is that your baby brother? Is that who you’ve been looking for?” The dog turns and looks at her, seemingly exasperated, like he cannot believe that his newborn brother is finally here. The intense sniffing continues. Dad claims, “You see, now he knows it’s him.” Suddenly, the Golden Doodle barks at the newborn. “Ohh, don’t bark at him,” the baby’s mother warns. Excited Or Terrified? Dad notices the confusion first. He states, “Let me help; I think he is nervous.” The couple tries to determine why their Golden Doodle seems scared of their newborn. The dad suggests that maybe he doesn’t understand it’s a baby. Perhaps he just saw the car seat. Dad to the rescue as he lifts the Golden Doodle up for a better view of the newborn. The dog gives a couple more timid sniffs but he still seems slightly petrified of his new brother. The internet had some answers for the couple. One user wrote, “He was making himself smaller to not scare the baby.” Another jokingly added, “He said, ‘How the hell did you get on this side of the belly, brother?'” A third confirmed to the couple, “Dogs know that’s precious cargo.” This mom and dad are about to have their hands full with these two adorable brothers—wait until that baby can walk! The source of the featured image is here. The post Golden Doodle Adorably “Petrified” When Meeting Newborn Brother appeared first on InspireMore.

You can find some unusual things when purchasing an old house to renovate. A young couple began an adventure in home ownership when they bought an 1800s Victorian house. Among their initial finds, the couple lists a utility room with no ceiling, a toilet and shower in the middle of the room, a creepy cellar, and a well in the house’s kitchen. @victoriahouseinthehills Replying to @Karma Replying to @Karma Overdue well update! #renovation #renouk #amazingfinds #historical #discovery #weirdfinds #periodproperty #renovationproject #renovatingourhome ♬ original sound – Victoria House After discovering the well, the couple added several videos to answer questions from their followers. The renovations are continuing. They have completely opened the well and installed a metal collar ring for a glass cover. This will leave the well in their house visible but safe. While they were working out how to incorporate the well into their renovations, they had some fun adventures. They went magnet fishing in the well. They found some horseshoe nails, a horseshoe, and a variety of other metal debris. Under the magnet fishing video, commenter Caiden Patel jokingly asked, “Why is nobody else thinking that there is a dead horse at the bottom?” Image from TikTok. We all thought the well in their house might be a haunted portal. Although the well might be some archaic type of Victorian indoor plumbing, it lends itself more to horror movies. Because the well is creepy and might be a portal to the underworld, the couple couldn’t resist having a little fun. @victoriahouseinthehills So much love for our well but about 500 comments about the film The Ring, it would have been rude not #thering #theringmoviegirl #welltok #renovation #victoriahouseinthehills #victorianrenovation ♬ The Ring (Trailer Music) – Hollywood Film Music Orchestra Seeing this crawl out of a hole in the kitchen floor would have most people running for the hills. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. It makes sense that you make horror film trailers if life gives you a well in your kitchen. Image from TikTok. Please share this. What would you do with a well in your house? You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Family Finds Old Boarded-Over Well In Their 1800s Victorian Home appeared first on InspireMore.

One Minnesota radio show host decided to test out how nice his state really is by eating other people’s food at a local fair — with their permission, of course! Adam Carter from WCCO made it his goal to taste his way through the Minnesota State Fair by getting free bites from strangers. He captured his hilarious interactions with other patrons in a series of videos on social media. As it turns out, most of these people were pretty cool about his unusual ask! In his first post, Adam explained the reasoning behind this bizarre quest. Minnesota residents have a reputation for being pretty friendly, which is why some have coined the phrase “Minnesota nice.” This radio host was determined to find out how far their goodwill actually goes. What better way to test people’s kindness than by asking them to share the food they’re eating? Be aware that there is some NSFW language in this video. Apparently, asking for a sip of one lady’s beer was going too far! @wccoradio Would you share your MN State Fair food with a random stranger? We wanted to test it out. Our very own Adam Carter walked around the fair and asked folks if they’d be willing to share their food and beverage. Be sure to stay tuned to WCCO Radio throughout the fair! We’re here every day from 6am-6pm. Listen to our programming live on the Audacy app or search “WCCO Radio” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. #statefair #mnstatefair #minnesota ♬ original sound – wccoradio Despite a few hiccups here and there, most people were actually more than willing to give Adam a bite of the food they were eating. He got to try a cookie, some garlic bread, and even a bite of alligator! Famous for “eating other people’s food.” Eventually, the radio host began to develop a reputation while wandering the Minnesota State Fair. In his third video from the event, a woman walked right up to him to offer him a sip of her drink! Another woman gave him the rest of her coffee when she couldn’t finish it. “I’ve been on WCCO Radio for 23 years, and I’ve never been more famous in my life,” Adam joked. “Now it’s for eating other people’s food.” @wccoradio He’s back, and he’s hungrier than ever. #statefair #mnstatefair #minnesota #minnesotastatefair #mn ♬ original sound – wccoradio Well, there are definitely worse things to be famous for! How heartwarming is it that so many strangers were willing to share their food with this radio host? You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Prank Turns Surprisingly Wholesome When Man Asks For Bites Of People’s Fair Food appeared first on InspireMore.

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A post shared on Facebook claims U.S. Marines purportedly stopped illegal immigrants from voting early in three Virginia counties. Verdict: False The claim is false and originally stems from a Sept. 23 article published on the satire website “Real Raw News.” Fact Check: Early voting began in Virginia on Sept. 20 and continues through Nov. […]

A post shared on social media purportedly shows an image of an iPhone that exploded in Lebanon recently. iPhones exploding in Lebanon blowing up random people. ??? pic.twitter.com/brJXVMXGh3 — MEHMET VEFA DAG (@AFRICANDEMOC) September 18, 2024 Verdict: False The claim is inaccurate. Fact Check: Mossad agents planted explosives in 5,000 pagers in order to carry out attacks […]

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Our top 10 list of The Gaslight Anthem songs highlights ten standout tracks from this New Jersey band, formed in the mid-2000s. With deep roots in the East Coast sound, their music carries heavy influences from New Jersey’s own Bruce Springsteen. The Gaslight Anthem isn’t a punk band; instead, they expertly blend Jersey Shore rock with the spirit of classic Boston Irish pub bands. You can almost hear the clinking of Guinness glasses in the background. Since their debut in 2006, the band has released five studio albums, four of which have secured spots on the Billboard 200. After forming The post Top 10 Gaslight Anthem Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.