After reaching a four-year high in April, the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index dropped dramatically this month. The index now stands at 103.2 (1985=100), down more than six percentage points from April's 109.8.
Consumers are apprehensive about the short-term outlook for the U.S. economy, the labor market and their earning potential, said Lynn Franco, director of the consumer research center at the Conference Board, a New York-based business research group that released its latest report on May 30.
The U.S. Labor Department's report on May employment is due to be released on Friday, June 2.