{
  "id": 9719769,
  "title": "Consumer confidence hits two-year high but ‘could soon falter’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/consumer-confidence-hits-two-year-high-but-could-soon-falter",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-25T07:01:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/consumer-confidence-hits-two-year-high-but-could-soon-falter/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Consumer confidence in the UK has reached a two-year high, with GfK's consumer confidence barometer reaching -13 in September, marking the highest level since August 2024. This surge is attributed to improved perceptions of the economy and personal financial situations over the past year, as well as the \"Burnham bounce\" from the summer, driven by record temperatures and the FIFA World Cup. However, experts caution that this positive momentum may be short-lived due to rising inflation, which reached 3.1% in August, fueled by increased petrol and diesel prices, higher air fares, and stagnant food inflation. Energy prices have also remained stubbornly high, prompting the Bank of England's deputy governor, Clare Lombardelli, to warn that interest rates may need to rise to combat high energy costs. While consumer confidence remains in negative territory, the recent improvements suggest that business sentiment is showing signs of recovery, although the outlook remains uncertain.",
  "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."
}