The preliminary report released by the University of Michigan on Friday showed that the US consumer confidence index's preliminary reading for August fell to 51 from 55.2 in July, lower than the 55 expected by economists surveyed by Bloomberg, marking the first decline in three months. Meanwhile, consumers' expectations for inflation over the next year rose from 4.2% to 4.3%. The report indicated a widespread decline in consumer confidence, with significant drops particularly among older demographics, low-income households, and those without a college degree. Furthermore, US retail sales in July saw their largest month-over-month decline in over a year, and real average hourly earnings fell by 0.2% year-over-year, further eroding residents' purchasing power and intensifying market concerns about the resilience of US consumption and the economic outlook.