U.S. Economic Expectations Drop to Two-Year Low Amid Shutdown

U.S. consumers this month were the most downbeat on the economy since November 2016, a third straight drop after expectations reached a 16-year high just three months earlier, as the partial government shutdown wears on toward a fourth week.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index’s monthly expectations gauge fell for a third month to 44.5 in January as more respondents said the U.S. economy is getting worse, according to a report on Thursday. Meanwhile, the weekly comfort measure declined to a four-month low of 58.1 as sentiment on the buying climate fell to its lowest since November.