WASHINGTON- US consumer sentiment receded in April and households expected inflation to increase over the next 12 months and beyond, likely providing more ammunition for the Federal Reserve to delay cutting interest rates until September.
The survey from the University of Michigan on Friday followed data this week that showed consumer prices increased more than expected for a third straight month in March.
Stubbornly high inflation and a strong labor market prompted financial markets and most economists to sharply dial back their expectations for the first rate cut from the US central bank to September from June. They also have lowered the number of anticipated rate cuts to two from three.
But inflation is not spiraling out of control, with producer prices increasing moderately last month. That was reinforced by other data on Friday showing import prices excluding fuels barely rose in March after surging at the start of the year.
“This increase in inflation expectations is not what the Fed wants to see, but despite the increase, they remain in line with the recent trend and are well-anchored,” said Eugenio Aleman, chief economist at Raymond James.
The University of Michigan’s preliminary reading on the overall index of consumer sentiment came in at 77.9 this month, compared to a final reading of 79.4 in March.
Since January, the sentiment index has remained within a narrow range 2.5 points, well under the 5 points which the University of Michigan said was necessary for a statistically significant difference. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a preliminary reading of 79.0.
The dip in sentiment likely reflected higher gasoline prices and occurred despite a rally on the stock market. Democrats were more upbeat this month than Republicans and independents.
“Overall, consumers are reserving judgment about the economy in light of the upcoming election, which, in the view of many consumers, could have a substantial impact on the trajectory of the economy,” said Joanne Hsu, the director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers.
The survey’s reading of one-year inflation expectations increased to 3.1 percent in April from 2.9 percent in March, rising just above the 2.3 percent -3.0 percent range seen in the two years before the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey’s five-year inflation outlook rose to a five-month high of 3.0 percent from 2.8 percent in the prior month.
Stocks on Wall Street were trading lower. The dollar rose against a basket of currencies. US Treasury yields fell.
A report from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics showed import prices rose 0.4 percent in March after an unrevised 0.3 percent gain in February. Economists had expected import prices, which exclude tariffs, to rise 0.3 percent .
In the 12 months through March, import prices rebounded 0.4 percent . That was the first year-on-year increase since January 2023, and followed a 0.9 percent decline in February.
Imported fuel prices increased 4.7 percent in March after rising 1.3 percent in February.
Petroleum prices surged 6.0 percent , but natural gas prices tumbled 31.9 percent. The cost of imported food shot up 1.6 percent after climbing 0.3 percent in the prior month.
Excluding fuels and food, import prices were unchanged. These so-called core import prices edged up 0.1 percent in February. Core import prices fell 0.4 percent on a year-on-year basis in March.
Import prices excluding fuels edged up 0.1 percent after rising 0.2 percent in the prior month. They were unchanged on a year-on-year basis.
