The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index increased by 0.8 points to 91.8 in March, up from 91.0 in February, reflecting improved views on current business and labor market conditions. The present situation index rose 4.6 points to 123.3, while the expectations index fell 1.7 points to 70.9. Despite the slight rise in overall confidence, inflation expectations have surged to their highest since August 2025, driven by tariff pass-through and rising oil prices. Additionally, the percentage of consumers anticipating interest rate hikes over the next year increased from 34.9% to 42.4%.