Is the consumer still spending?
Consumer spending is about two-thirds of the US economy, and it rests on jobs. Retail sales, car sales and fuel use show what people are buying; claims and job openings show whether they can keep doing it.
Updated Oct 3, 2026
Steady
2 of 7 indicators are stronger than usual against their last ten years and 2 are weaker. Strongest: New jobless claims, 197K new claims a week. Weakest: Consumer sentiment, 51.7 on the index.
Over time
Select any group or indicator. Score is demand against the last ten years; Value is the reading itself.
Every indicator
Sorted by score. Change is the move in score over three months. Data arrive weekly, monthly or quarterly, so dates differ. Select a column to sort.
| Indicator | Demand | Latest | 3M change | As of | Score, 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New jobless claims Weekly initial jobless claims. | 98Strong | 197K new claims a week | +32 pts | Oct 3, 2026 | |
Retail sales after inflation Real (inflation-adjusted) retail sales. | 73Strong | +2.5% on a year ago | +14 pts | Aug 1, 2026 | |
Job openings Total job openings. | 58Steady | +2.3% on a year ago | −1 pts | Aug 1, 2026 | |
Online sales Quarterly e-commerce retail. | 55Steady | +12.2% on a year ago | +8 pts | Apr 1, 2026 | |
Gasoline demand Weekly finished motor gasoline product supplied — implied retail/commercial gasoline demand. | 40Steady | −1.7% on a year ago | −45 pts | Oct 2, 2026 | |
Car and truck sales Total light vehicle sales, SAAR (millions of units annualized). | 28Soft | −3.4% on a year ago | −52 pts | Sep 1, 2026 | |
Consumer sentiment University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index. | 6Soft | 51.7 on the index | +5 pts | Aug 1, 2026 |
How to read this page
How it’s measured. Public economic data from the Federal Reserve, Census Bureau and Energy Information Administration, as tracked on Stox Pulse. Each indicator is scored against its own last ten years, turned so that 100 always means the strongest demand.
Sources. Economic data from FRED, the Census Bureau and the Energy Information Administration from Stox Pulse.
Indicators that are better when lower, such as jobless claims and mortgage rates, are turned around so a high score always means stronger demand. Survey indexes are scored on their level; most others on their change from a year earlier.
These readings describe the economy as reported, with delays of a week to a quarter. The stock market often moves before the data do.
This page is information, not investment advice. About our data and methods ›