Private research group The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer-confidence index fell to 102.6 in October from 104.3 in September. The present-situation index measuring sentiment around current conditions declined to 143.1 from 146.2, the Conference Board said. Consumers' mood could herald a short, shallow contraction in the first half of next year, Conference Board Chief Economist Dana Peterson said. "Worries around war and conflicts also rose, amid the recent turmoil in the Middle East." Write to Joshua Kirby at joshua.kirby@wsj.com; @joshualeokirby(END) Dow Jones NewswiresOctober 31, 2023 10:32 ET (14:32 GMT)Copyright (c) 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 31, 2023 14:41 UTC