"While the resurgence of COVID-19 and inflation concerns have dampened confidence, it is too soon to conclude this decline will result in consumers significantly curtailing their spending in the months ahead."

Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at the Conference Board in Washington, commenting last week after the group’s report showed that U.S. consumer confidence hit a six-month low in August, as reported by Reuters in its story, “Surging COVID-19 Cases Dampen U.S. Consumer Confidence, House Prices Post Record Gains.”