受通胀担忧影响，美国消费者信心跌至历史新低

Odaily Planet Daily News: Amid the Iran war, the US consumer sentiment index fell to its lowest point in history in May, with long-term inflation expectations also deteriorating significantly. Data shows that the University of Michigan's final consumer sentiment index for May fell to 44.8. Consumers expect prices to rise at an annualized rate of 3.9% over the next five to ten years, up from 3.5% in April, hitting a seven-month high. They also expect prices to rise by 4.8% over the next year. Gas prices continue to hover near their highest levels since 2022, exacerbating Americans' concerns about rising living costs and the failure to reach an agreement to end the war. The impact of inflation on household budgets, especially for lower-income consumers, poses risks to the future consumption outlook. Joanne Hsu, the survey's director, said: "The cost of living remains the top concern, with 57% of respondents voluntarily pointing out that high prices are eroding their personal financial situation, up from 50% last month." She added: "The key point is that consumers seem to be worried not only that inflation will spread to areas beyond fuel prices, but also that this upward trend may persist for a long time into the future." (Jin Shi)