{
  "id": 2109923,
  "title": "One big thing is dragging down Americans' vibes about the economy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/one-big-thing-is-dragging-down-americans-vibes-about-the-economy",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-20T09:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/wage-growth-below-inflation-affecting-american-consumer-sentiment-2026-8"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The economy is dragging down the mood of Americans regarding the economic situation. Inflation has outpaced wage growth for four consecutive months, contributing to a decline in consumer sentiment, as indicated by the University of Michigan's monthly survey. The survey revealed that almost three-quarters of consumers expect price growth to surpass income growth over the next year. This wage inflation disparity has led to a significant loss in purchasing power for many, as noted by Joanne Hsu, the director of consumer surveys at the University of Michigan. While consumer sentiment remains worse than during the COVID period, the economy continues to grow, and unemployment and layoffs are low. However, the persistent impact of inflation, despite its recent decline from its peak, is still felt by many Americans. A new study from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and ADP Research found that real wages fell between December 2020 and 2024 for nearly 40% of workers, a trend that has not been reversed even with the onset of a post-pandemic economic recovery.",
  "summary": "Wage growth below inflation, affecting purchasing power, is adding to Americans' relatively low sentiment.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}