Stock Market 12 December 2025

April 24, 2026, 7:52 PM EDT. Consumer sentiment plunged to an all-time low of 49.8 in April, according to the University of Michigan survey, reflecting concerns over the Iran war and rising gasoline prices which remain over $4 per gallon. Inflation expectations rose to 4.7% for the next year. Despite this, the S&P 500 surged nearly 10% month-to-date, hitting record highs buoyed by strong semiconductor earnings and optimistic investor views that the Iran conflict will not escalate or disrupt energy infrastructure further. The stock rally is fueled by the AI technology boom, particularly in chipmakers like Intel and AMD, which are less sensitive to consumer spending. However, experts caution that continued consumer weakness could eventually impact the broader economy, as consumer spending accounts for roughly 70% of U.S. GDP.