Consumer confidence in the US improved in May, according to the Conference Board. This happened after five months where people felt less optimistic. The index increased by 12.3 points to 98, up from 85.7 in April, which was the lowest point since the pandemic began. This improvement seems to be mainly because worries about the economic effects of the previous government's tariffs have become less severe. However, people's short-term expectations for their income, business conditions, and the job market stayed below 80, which might suggest a recession is coming. The Labor Department reported that 177,000 jobs were created in April, which helped to boost confidence. But, concerns about tariffs and inflation still strongly affected what people said in the survey. Despite these worries, there were plans for more spending on homes, cars, and vacations.