Consumer Confidence Continues Declines

Continuing concerns over the economy and the job market pushed U.S. consumer confidence down again in early July.

The University of Michigan index, released late last week, tumbled to 66.5 in early July, down from June’s 76 index. The July results are well off the 74.3 index mark economists had expected, and the lowest since last August.

Separately, the Conference Board’s June reading dropped to 52.9 for the month, the lowest level since March and down nearly a full point from May’s 62.7 index.“Increasing uncertainty and apprehension about the future state of the economy and labor market, no doubt a result of the recent slowdown in job growth, are the primary reasons for the sharp reversal in confidence,” Lynn Franco, director of Conference Board’s consumer research center, said at the time. “Until the pace of job growth picks up, consumer confidence is not likely to pick up.”

GRI recently conducted programs in Sri Lanka to empower women and motivate children under its Green x Circle initiative. The company said these endeavors aimed to address the needs of the community, focusing on both women empowerment and youth motivation.

GRI recently organized a training program titled "Management of household finance under current economic conditions" at the Ingiriya Rubber Collecting Center in Sri Lanka, South Asia led by Shashika Nimali, an NLP practitioner and life coach. The company said this initiative provided women in the industry with essential skills and knowledge to effectively manage household finances. GRI's tailored training sessions equipped participants with tools for informed decision-making, ultimately fostering greater financial security and independence, the company said.