US consumer confidence falls to 7-month low on Delta variant fears

U.S. consumer confidence dropped in September for a third straight month, suggesting concerns over the delta variant and higher prices continue to dampen sentiment.

The Conference Board’s index fell to 109.3 from a revised 115.2 reading in August, according to the group’s report Tuesday. Economists in a Bloomberg survey had called for an increase to 115.0.

The figures suggest the spread of the delta variant continues to dent consumers’ outlook of the economy and thwart spending on services. While new cases have dipped from the latest peak, they’re still rising in some states. At the same time, Americans