NEW YORK, April 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Consumer Sentiment Index tumbled to 47.6 in April 2026, according to a preliminary reading released Friday by the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, down 10.7 percent from the final reading of 53.3 in March 2026.

The reading is the lowest level on record going back to 1952, as consumers' concerns over rising energy prices and the broader impact of the Iran war have increased.

The preliminary reading of the Current Economic Conditions Index fell to 50.1 in April, down from the final reading of 55.8 in March. The Index of Consumer Expectations dropped to 46.1, down from the final reading of 51.7 in March.

Consumers are expecting a 4.8 percent price increase this month over the next year, the highest one-month increase since April 2025, with long-run inflation expectations reaching 3.4 percent, 0.2 percentage points higher than in March, the survey shows.

Earlier on Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the consumer price index in March rose 0.9 percent month on month and 3.3 percent year on year, with most of the increase coming from the surge in energy prices. ■