Inflation is feared by U.S. consumer sentiment Fears of rising inflation by Americans are weighing on consumer sentiment, and concerns about how the U.S. economy will recover from the pandemic are mounting. The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Survey fell to 82.8 in May, down from 88.3 in April, as it weakened consumers ’attitudes about current and future conditions. According to a survey of economists by Reuters, it looks closely at expectations for the width to rise to 90.4. The decline in sentiment is unpredictable: the rapid expansion of U.S. vaccines, the reopening of the economy, and the distribution of stimulus controls were expected to boost consumer confidence.