This Week in Business: Consumer borrowing, consumer sentiment, small business update
Borrowing barometer
The Federal Reserve delivers its monthly snapshot of U.S. consumer borrowing on Tuesday.
The tally, which excludes mortgages and other loans secured by real estate, is expected to show consumer borrowing rose by $7.5 billion in September. Consumer borrowing is being watched closely by economists and investors as interest rates have risen to their highest level in more than two decades.
Consumer credit, monthly change, seasonally adjusted, billions of dollars:
April: 14.4
May: 0
June: 13.8
July: 11.0
Aug.: -15.6
Sept. (est.) 7.5
Source: FactSet
Small business checkup
A monthly index that tracks small firms’ view of the U.S. economy and their business prospects is due out Thursday.
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index slipped in September, the 21st straight reading below the index’s 49-year average. The index is based on data from surveys of firms in the National Federation of Independent Business.
NFIB small business index, by month:
April: 89
May: 89.4
June: 91
July: 91.9
Aug.: 91.3
Sept.: 90.8
Source: FactSet
Gauging consumers feelings
The University of Michigan releases its preliminary report on consumer sentiment for November on Friday.
Analysts expect that consumer sentiment held steady. Consumer sentiment fell during the pandemic, but has rebounded somewhat as inflation has cooled. The University of Michigan’s final reading for November comes out later this month.
Consumer Sentiment Index, not seasonally adjusted, by month:
June: 64.2
July: 71.5
Aug.: 69.4
Sept.: 67.9
Oct.: 63.8
Nov. (est.) 63.8
Source: FactSet