Category: News
Grubhub will air its first Super Bowl ad, directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimosa
The Bears didn’t get to the Super Bowl this year, but one Chicago company will be making its first appearance.
Grubhub, the pioneering Chicago-based food delivery service, announced Monday it is running a TV commercial during the Super Bowl LX broadcast Feb. 8 from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Big Game is a big bet for Grubhub, a former tech unicorn that has sold twice in the last five years at a significant decline in valuation as it continues to lag market leaders DoorDash and Uber Eats. Commercials for the matchup between New England and Seattle on NBC are reportedly selling for a record $8 million per spot.
“Our Super Bowl debut isn’t just an ad—it’s a reset for the Grubhub brand,“ Marnie Kain, vice president of brand for Grubhub, said in a statement.
Grubhub released a 15-second teaser of its spot, which also represents the Super Bowl debut for absurdist Greek film director Yorgos Lanthimosa, who is nominated for an Academy Award again this year for his latest offering, “Bugonia.”
While little is revealed in the teaser, the ad pans along a dining table filled with trays of food as an announcer delivers the mangled idiom “this February, one food delivery app will finally put their mouth where their money is.” A steaming serving dish is delivered to the end of the table and its top is removed as four guests look on with some degree of consternation.
The full Super Bowl ad will ostensibly resolve the mystery as to what is being served.
“We’ve partnered with acclaimed director Yorgos Lanthimos to address the category’s biggest pain point through a bold, cinematic lens,” Kain said. “This teaser is the first step in a broader ambition to fundamentally change what people expect from delivery.”
Last year, a record 127.7 million viewers tuned in for Super Bowl LIX on Fox, according to Nielsen, as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22. Making an advertising splash at the Super Bowl can be a gamechanger for companies looking for national exposure or a marketing reboot.
Grubhub could use both.
Founded in 2004 by Chicago software engineers Mike Evans and Matt Maloney as a way to move restaurant menus from the cluttered kitchen drawer to an organized website, Grubhub started with a single merchant — a now-closed Uptown Chinese restaurant — building what would become a national e-commerce platform and launching a new industry that changed the way consumers ordered food delivery
In 2014, Grubhub filed for an initial public offering, raising $193 million and valuing the company at north of $2 billion.
Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway.com acquired Grubhub for $7.3 billion in 2021. But after a spike during the pandemic, Grubhub saw its revenues decline, losing ground to market leaders DoorDash and Uber Eats. Grubhub downsized its workforce and put itself up for sale.
In January 2025, New York-based Wonder Group Inc. bought Grubhub from Just Eat for about $650 million, acquiring the restaurant delivery service at a steep discount to its previous valuation.
One year later, Grubhub is in the Super Bowl under new ownership.
Grubhub won’t be the only food delivery service running a spot in the Super Bowl broadcast. Uber Eats is advertising in the Big Game for the sixth consecutive year.
Meanwhile, another Chicago-area advertiser, WeatherTech, a once-obscure Bolingbrook car floor mat manufacturer, will be back in the Super Bowl this year for its 14th commercial in 12 years.
In 2014, WeatherTech founder David MacNeil had the audacity to blow a large chunk of his marketing budget on his first Super Bowl spot, paying $4 million for the airtime to compete on TV’s biggest advertising stage.
The entry fee has doubled since then, but after 22 years, Grubhub is finally ready to “put their mouth where their money is” as well.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/27/grubhub-first-super-bowl-spot/
Cae la confianza en la economía de EEUU a su nivel más bajo desde 2014
Por MATT OTT
WASHINGTON (AP) — La confianza del consumidor en Estados Unidos disminuyó drásticamente en enero a su nivel más bajo desde 2014, ya que los estadounidenses están cada vez más preocupados por sus perspectivas financieras.
El Conference Board informó el martes que su índice de confianza del consumidor se desplomó 9,7 puntos a 84,5 en enero, cayendo incluso por debajo de las lecturas más bajas durante la pandemia de COVID-19.
Una medida de las expectativas a corto plazo de los estadounidenses sobre sus ingresos, las condiciones comerciales y el mercado laboral cayó 9,5 puntos hasta 65,1, muy por debajo de 80, el marcador que puede señalar una recesión inminente. Es el 12vo mes consecutivo en que esa lectura se sitúa por debajo de 80.
Las evaluaciones de los consumidores sobre su situación económica actual descendieron 9,9 puntos hasta 113,7.
“La confianza se desplomó en enero, ya que las preocupaciones de los consumidores tanto sobre la situación actual como sobre las expectativas para el futuro se profundizaron”, señaló Dana Peterson, la principal economista del Conference Board. “Los cinco componentes del índice se deterioraron, llevando el índice general a su nivel más bajo desde mayo de 2014, superando sus profundidades durante la pandemia de COVID-19”.
Los encuestados siguen mencionando la inflación, incluidos los precios de la gasolina y los alimentos. Las menciones a los aranceles y el comercio, la política y el mercado laboral también aumentaron en enero, al igual que los comentarios sobre el gasto en salud y la guerra.
Las percepciones sobre el mercado laboral también disminuyeron este mes.
De acuerdo con la encuesta del Conference Board, el 23,9% de los consumidores dijo que los empleos eran “abundantes”, una disminución respecto del 27,5% en diciembre. Además, el 20,8% de los consumidores dijeron que los empleos eran “difíciles de conseguir”, un aumento respecto del 19,1% del mes anterior.
Los economistas dicen que el mercado laboral permanece estancado en un estado de “poca contratación, poco despido”, debido a la incertidumbre sobre los aranceles de Trump y los efectos persistentes de las tasas de interés elevadas.
A principios de este mes, el gobierno informó que los empleadores añadieron solo 50.000 empleos en diciembre, casi sin cambios respecto de los 56.000 en noviembre. La tasa de desempleo es de 4,4%.
Las ganancias en el mercado laboral han sido moderadas durante todo el año, particularmente después del anuncio de aranceles en abril por parte del presidente Donald Trump. La economía creó solo 584.000 empleos en 2025, comparado con los más de 2 millones añadidos en 2024.
El debilitamiento de los mercados laborales se produce incluso cuando la economía de Estados Unidos sigue creciendo, a menudo más allá de las proyecciones.
Impulsada por un fuerte gasto del consumidor, la economía estadounidense creció al ritmo más rápido en dos años de julio a septiembre, según la última estimación del gobierno.
_______
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Neil Young’s gift to Greenland: Free access to his entire music catalog
NEW YORK — Neil Young is giving the people of Greenland the gift of song — his songs, that is.
The veteran rocker announced Tuesday on his blog that he is providing free access to his entire music catalog to residents of Denmark’s semiautonomous territory, whose futures have lately become a point of tension between the U.S. and NATO.
“I hope my music and music films will ease some of the unwarranted stress and threats you are experiencing from our unpopular and hopefully temporary government,” Young wrote. “It is my sincere wish for you to be able to enjoy all of my music in your beautiful Greenland home, in its highest quality.”
The offer is for a year — though Young said renewing is possible — and applicants need to have a Greenland-based cellphone. “This is an offer of Peace and Love,” he wrote.
The offer is in stark contrast to Young’s recent decision to deny listeners his catalog on the streaming Amazon Music platform, a swipe at its founder, Jeff Bezos, who has supported U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, a billionaire backer of the president,” Young wrote last week. “The president’s international policies and his support of ICE make it impossible for me to ignore his actions. If you feel as I do, I strongly recommend that you do not use Amazon.”
A representative for Amazon Music didn’t immediately respond for comment. Young’s manager also didn’t reply to questions.
Young has long sparred with streaming platforms, like when he pulled his music from Spotify in protest of podcaster Joe Rogan’s episodes on COVID-19 vaccines. Young later relented and his music was added back.
Young, whose hits include “Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Heart of Gold,” has never been a huge fan of Spotify. At his insistence, much of his music was removed from the platform for several months beginning in 2015 because of his concerns about audio quality. But his music is there, as it is on Apple Music.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/27/neil-young-greenland-free-music-catalog/
Federal Officials Refer Minnesota To DOJ For Allowing Boys In Girls’ Sports
Federal Officials Refer Minnesota To DOJ For Allowing Boys In Girls’ Sports
Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times,
Federal officials have referred Minnesota to the Justice Department (DOJ) over alleged civil rights violations stemming from the state’s refusal to halt male participation in female sports.
The referral came from the Education Department (ED) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which concluded in September that the state violated Title IX’s prohibition on sex-based discrimination in federally funded education.
In a news release on Monday, Education Secretary Linda McMahon accused state officials of failing to uphold federal law.
“Despite repeated opportunities to comply with Title IX, Minnesota has chosen defiance—continuing to jeopardize the safety of women and girls, deny them fair competition, and erode their right to equal access in educational programs and activities,” McMahon said. “The Trump Administration will not stop until accountability is delivered for Minnesota’s students.”
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said the federal government “will not look the other way” on this matter.
“When states allow males to compete in girls’ sports, they deny young women and girls the protections the law guarantees,” he said in the release.
The referral came amid escalating tensions between the Minnesota officials and the Trump administration, which has taken a number of recent executive actions in response to concerns about the fraudulent use of federal money in the state.
“Today’s letter notifies Minnesota that ED and HHS will refer the matter to DOJ for proceedings, which could result in termination of Minnesota’s Federal funding from ED and HHS,” the news release states.
Last year, an investigation by the administration determined that Minnesota’s education department and its official high school athletic league violated Title IX by allowing males to both compete in multiple female sports programs and occupy female-only bathrooms and locker rooms as well.
The Epoch Times reached out to the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota High School State League for comment.
A proposed resolution agreement was provided to the state agencies to voluntarily resolve this issue, but the state agencies initially ignored the request and later announced that they would not accept the resolution agreement or engage in negotiations, McMahon said in the news release.
The investigations, which were opened in June, determined that a biological male had competed on the Champlin High School girls’ varsity fastpitch softball team since 2023, leading the squad to a winning record against all-girl opponents all three seasons. It also found that other districts had male athletes competing on girls’ lacrosse, volleyball, track and field, and ski (alpine and Nordic) teams.
According to a “toolkit“ on the Minnesota Department of Education website, “Title IX requires schools provide transgender students with the right to participate in such activities, including athletics, in a manner consistent with their gender identity.”
“The Minnesota State High School League allows participation for all students regardless of their gender identity or expression in an environment free from discrimination with an equal opportunity for participation in athletics and fine arts,” the document says.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments from state leaders in West Virginia and Idaho asking justices to uphold their state laws preventing males from participating in female sports.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 01/27/2026 – 11:05
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/federal-officials-refer-minnesota-doj-allowing-boys-girls-sports
‘Heated Rivalry’ book downloads surge at NY Public Library after Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s snow day plug
The racy book series behind HBO’s smash “Heated Rivalry” got a major Mamdani bump in readership over the weekend — after the mayor recommended snowed-in New Yorkers download one of the hot-and-heavy hockey romance books with their library cards.
The New York Public Library saw a 529% spike in “Heated Rivalry” downloads on Sunday after Mayor Zohran Mamdani plugged the book during his livestreamed snow storm press conference Sunday, according to a public library spokeswoman.
“I can think of no better excuse for New Yorkers to stay home, take a long nap, or take advantage of our public library’s offer of free access to ‘Heated Rivalry’ on eBook or audio book for anyone with a library card,” Mamdani said Sunday, getting grins and chuckles from several of the city officials standing behind him.
After the mayor’s remarks, downloading of the books surged. About 86% of all eBook and audio checkouts of “Heated Rivalry” on Sunday happened after the mayor’s press conference, according to library spokeswoman Lizize Tribone.
As of Monday morning, the library has seen more than 5,000 downloads of “Heated Rivalry” and more than 13,000 downloads of books in the series, said Tribone.
“We expect this number to continue to climb,” she said.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in HBO’s adaptation of “Heated Rivalry.” (HBO Max)
The library made Rachel Reid’s entire “Game Changers” book series, which tells the story of two secretly gay rival hockey players, available for download Saturday with no wait times.
Nearly 3,000 library patrons had been waiting for a digital, audio or print copy of “Heated Rivalry” — the second book in the series — before then.
New Yorkers can get no-waiting access of Heated Rivalry through Valentine’s Day by using the Libby app.
“There’s no better time to sign up for an NYPL card,” chief librarian Brian Bannon said Monday. “If you haven’t already, you can download and listen or read this tremendous romance series immediately, and for free, through Valentine’s Day.”
For Chicago Pride Hockey, ‘Heated Rivalry’ is more than just a show
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/27/heated-rivalry-snow-day-ny-library/
Trump administration’s immigration crackdown contributed to drop in the US growth rate last year
ORLANDO, Fla. — President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration contributed to a year-to-year drop in the nation’s growth rate as the U.S. population reached 341.8 million people in 2025, according to population estimates released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The 0.5% growth rate for 2025 was a sharp drop from 2024’s almost 1% growth rate, which was the highest since 2001 and was fueled by immigration. The 2024 estimates put the U.S. population at 340 million people.
Immigration increased by 1.3 million people last year, compared with 2024’s increase of 2.8 million people. The census report did not distinguish between legal and illegal immigration.
In the past 125 years, the lowest growth rate was in 2021, during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, when the U.S. population grew by just 0.16%, or 522,000 people, and immigration increased by just 376,000 people because of travel restrictions into the U.S. Before that, the lowest growth rate was just under 0.5% in 1919 at the height of the Spanish flu.
Tuesday’s data release comes as researchers have been trying to determine the effects of the second Trump administration’s immigration crackdown after the Republican president returned to the White House in January 2025. Trump made the surge of migrants at the southern border a central issue in his winning 2024 presidential campaign.
The numbers made public Tuesday reflect change from July 2024 to July 2025, covering the end of President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration and the first half of Trump’s first year back in office.
The figures capture a period that reflects the beginning of enforcement surges in Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, but do not capture the impact on immigration after the Trump administration’s crackdowns began in Chicago; New Orleans; Memphis, Tennessee; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The 2025 numbers were a jarring divergence from 2024, when net international migration accounted for 84% of the nation’s 3.3 million-person increase from the year before. The jump in immigration two years ago was partly because of a new method of counting that added people who were admitted for humanitarian reasons.
“They do reflect recent trends we have seen in out-migration, where the numbers of people coming in is down and the numbers going out is up,” Eric Jensen, a senior research scientist at the Census Bureau, said last week.
Unlike the once-a-decade census, which determines how many congressional seats and Electoral College votes each state gets, as well as the distribution of $2.8 trillion in annual government funding, the population estimates are calculated from government records and internal Census Bureau data.
The release of the 2025 population estimates was delayed by the federal government shutdown last fall and comes at a challenging time for the Census Bureau and other U.S. statistical agencies. The bureau, which is the largest statistical agency in the U.S., lost about 15% of its workforce last year due to buyouts and layoffs that were part of cost-cutting efforts by the White House and its Department of Government Efficiency.
Other recent actions by the Trump administration, such as the firing of Erika McEntarfer as Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, have raised concerns about political meddling at U.S. statistical agencies. But Brookings demographer William Frey said the bureau’s staffers appear to have been “doing this work as usual without interference.”
“So I have no reason to doubt the numbers that come out,” Frey said.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/27/trump-administration-immigration-crackdown-us-growth-rate/
Southwest Airlines Ends Open Seating, Moves To Reservation-Based System
Southwest Airlines Ends Open Seating, Moves To Reservation-Based System
Authored by Rob Sabo via The Epoch Times,
Southwest Airlines’ era of offering passengers open seating is officially ending, as the passenger carrier transitions its seating policy to a reservation-based system common with other airlines starting on Jan. 27.
Southwest announced last summer that it would end its open seating policy to offer customers a wider range of seating options. The airline’s new booking model includes three seating options: standard seating at the back of the aircraft; preferred seating near the front; and extra legroom seats in the front of the cabin and at the exit rows.
Southwest said it will also initiate a new group-based boarding process to replace its old “A,” “B,” and “C” boarding system that encouraged travelers to check in 24 hours prior to departure to secure the coveted “A” boarding option. The new boarding system will be skewed toward passengers who book premium seating options, while customers who choose basic seating will board last. Southwest will need to make physical changes to its departure gates to accommodate the new system, which could take months to complete.
Tony Roach, Southwest Airlines’ executive vice president of customer and brand, said the changes allow customers more choice and control over their flying experience.
“Assigned seating unlocks new opportunities for our customers—including the ability to select extra legroom seats—and removes the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sit in the cabin,” Roach said in a statement announcing the booking shakeup.
“This is an important step in our evolution, and we’re excited to pair these enhancements with our legendary customer service.”
The airline’s new “basic” fare option—formerly called Wanna Get Away—is nonrefundable and does not allow any changes in travel dates or times unless passengers upgrade to a higher tier. Choice Extra is the new name for its former business select option and includes two free checked bags along with priority boarding.
Southwest said on its website that the new booking policy for the extra legroom seats may clash with existing corporate business accounts, which offered priority boarding so business travelers could get first dibs on seats in the front of the plane or those with extra legroom.
“We recognize these changes may impact how business customers interact with Southwest Business,” the airline said. “We are actively working through details on how best to offer updated contractual benefits into future corporate travel agreements, and we will strive to keep you informed on any updates.”
The airline also announced it would change its policy regarding larger travelers who require more room. Starting Jan. 27, passengers who don’t fit within a seat’s armrests will be required to purchase an additional seat. Previously, the airline offered larger passengers the option to purchase a fully-refundable seat or ask for a free one at the gate.
Southwest Airlines’ final flight featuring open seating departed from Honolulu on Jan. 26 and arrived in Los Angeles this morning.
Southwest Airlines has offered open seating since its first flights to Houston and San Antonio from Love Field in Dallas in the summer of 1971. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1977.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 01/27/2026 – 10:30
Waukegan Metra Station becomes newest county warming center: ‘A lot of people are in crisis’
A Waukegan man saw what looked like a person wrapped in a blanket inside a large pipe Saturday night while driving on Jackson Street and, upon further investigation, found a man spending the night there in subzero temperatures.
Waukegan Police Chief Edgar Navarro said the motorist called the police department’s non-emergency number, and an officer was dispatched to the location to provide assistance.
“The man stayed with him until we got there,” Navarro said. “The officer took him to the train station,” he added, referring to the city’s newest warming shelter. “He probably saved his life.”
The Waukegan Metra Station became the city’s newest warming center Friday, potentially operating around the clock just east of downtown during weather emergencies like last weekend’s subzero temperatures.
With single-digit temperatures forecast through at least parts of the day through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service, Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham said it is crucial to provide a warm place after designated warming centers close for the day.
With three warming centers in Waukegan and 18 more in other parts of Lake County, they all have specific operating hours when they are open to the public. Cunningham said when the emergency arose late last week, something had to be done.
Waukegan’s Metra station is doubling as a warming center during the extreme cold, including the single-digit weather forecast for the rest of the week. (City of Waukegan)
Designated warming centers include the Waukegan Public Library, the Patricia A. The Jones Center from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, and the Illinois Department of Public Health on Lewis Avenue available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
Though the library is open every day, its hours are also limited. The library is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, and from 1 to 5 p.m. weekends.
Assembling a SWAT team of the city’s first responders and other key personnel, Cunningham said they needed to find a place for people to escape the dangerous cold. PADS Lake County is available some of the time, but not always.
“We identified different places that are open,” Cunningham said. “The Metra Station is accessible to the police department and the fire department. That’s where we can take people when Lake County PADS can’t accommodate them.
Navarro said that during the recent emergency, the station served as a shelter when the library closed. At least one police officer is present as long as people are using the building as a shelter. There were five individuals there on Friday and seven on both Saturday and Sunday.
“An officer is always there with them,” Navarro said. “We feed them. A lot of people are in crisis. People are there getting off the bus and waiting for a train. All of this can make people uncomfortable.”
PADS Executive Director Allen Swilley said the organization’s office on Grand Avenue in Waukegan is open as a shelter from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, but will be available as a shelter on weekends during a “cold snap” as the area recently experienced.
“We would love to have a 24-hour shelter,” Swilley said. “We placed 42 people in shelter during the cold snap. I hope this is the last winter we don’t have a 24-hour shelter.”
Outside of Waukegan, there are warming centers in Lake County from Winthrop Harbor to Barrington, and from Highland Park to Antioch, according to a map on the county’s website. People should check with the location to learn its hours of operation.
The Schlader Recreation Center in Winthrop Harbor, as well as the Zion Police Station, the Zion Public Library and the Zion Park District Leisure Center are also available. Dickinson Hall in Lake Forest is another location.
Three warming centers are available in Highland Park — Trinity Grace Church, Highland Park City Hall and Congregation Makom Solel Lakeside. Other warming centers are the Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, as well as the Barrington Public Safety Building and the Barrington train station.
Other warming centers are the Wauconda Township Hall in Wauconda, the Avon Township Building in Round Lake, Gurnee Mills Mall, Lindenhurst Village Hall, the Lindenhurst Police Station, the Lake Villa Metra Station and the Antioch Public Library.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/27/lake-county-warming-centers/
GM Shares Surge 7% After Surpassing Q4 Estimates, Raising Guidance, Planning $6B Stock Buyback
GM Shares Surge 7% After Surpassing Q4 Estimates, Raising Guidance, Planning $6B Stock Buyback
General Motors exceeded Wall Street’s fourth-quarter earnings expectations and forecast another year of “strong financial performance” in 2026. While revenue fell slightly short, the company announced a 20% dividend increase and a new $6 billion stock buyback program, according to CNBC and GM.
GM reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.51, beating estimates of $2.20, though revenue of $45.29 billion missed expectations.
Shares rose about 7% in early trading.
For 2026, GM projects net income of $10.3 billion to $11.7 billion, adjusted EBIT of $13 billion to $15 billion, and earnings per share between $11 and $13. These forecasts reflect continued investment of $10 billion to $12 billion as the company reevaluates its shift toward electric vehicles.
CEO Mary Barra said GM expects North American profit margins of 8% to 10% this year, up from 6.8% in 2025. She added that GM remains “in a strong position to return capital to shareholders.”
In 2025, GM posted net income of $2.7 billion and adjusted EBIT of $12.7 billion, both down sharply from 2024. Revenue fell 1.3% to $185.02 billion.
The company reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $3.3 billion, driven largely by more than $7.2 billion in special charges tied to EV cutbacks, legal issues, restructuring in China, and the shutdown of Cruise.
Barra said GM’s smaller Detroit headquarters is expected to save “hundreds of millions of dollars” each year.
The report says that the new buyback and dividend increase to 18 cents per share continue GM’s effort to reduce shares outstanding, which fell to 904 million at the end of 2025.
North America remained GM’s strongest region, though profits declined 28.1% to $10.45 billion. International operations improved, while losses in China narrowed.
CFO Paul Jacobson said U.S. tariffs cost GM $3.1 billion in 2025. Barra said the company is “hopeful” the U.S. and South Korea will finalize a trade deal with a 15% tariff, warning that higher tariffs could hurt costs.
“We’re really encouraging the countries to get the trade deal done,” Barra said.
GM continues to rely on South Korea for entry-level vehicles such as the Chevrolet Trax and Buick Envista, making trade policy a key issue for its future performance.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 01/27/2026 – 10:20
Conference Board Consumer Confidence Crashes To 12 Year Lows
Conference Board Consumer Confidence Crashes To 12 Year Lows
After Boomers and Gen X dragged The Conference Board Confidence measure down to eight month lows to end 2025, expectations were for a rebound to start 2026.
But, reality was far worse with the headline plunging from 94.2 (revised up from 89.1) to 84.5 (well below the 91.0 expected) – the lowest since May 2014.
The Present Situation Index – based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions – plummeted by 9.9 points to 113.7 in January (from an upwardly revised 123.6).
The Expectations Index – based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions – tumbled to 65.1 (from 74.6).
Source: Bloomberg
The Expectations Index has now tracked under 80 for 12 consecutive months, the threshold below which the gauge signals recession ahead.
Under the hood, The Conference Board survey shows the trend of a weaker labor market continued to accelerate…
Source: Bloomberg
So, the stock market soars near record highs, GDP is ripping, but consumer sentiment is collapsing?
Tyler Durden
Tue, 01/27/2026 – 10:10
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/conference-board-consumer-confidence-crashes-12-year-lows
