"Lowest Consumer Sentiment" Is Good News?

The Pirate Street Journal · Jun 3, 2026 · 38m

The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index just came in at 44.8.

The lowest reading in the history of the survey.

April was already the worst on record. We beat it, then beat it again a month later.

Near-zero unemployment. Record-high stock market. GDP growing. Entrepreneurship at an all-time high.

And the consumer says this is the worst they can remember.

Something doesn’t add up.

Here’s what we covered in this episode:

1. “Record low” is good news.

The consumer isn’t behaving like the survey says.

Nobody’s broke and curling up in a ball.

They’re getting smart. Waiting longer to buy…